


Feels Like Home

by Violet_Janou



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 1d, AU, Alternate Universe, Band Fic, Death, Fluff, Larry Tomlinson - Freeform, London, Louis as a father, M/M, Nurse Louis, One Directoin, Smutt, Teacher Harry, one direction - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 170,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7613755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Janou/pseuds/Violet_Janou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Louis returns to London after two years of working overseas. He has to pick up the pieces of his life he and his daughter abruptly left behind hoping that this time around they will go back together. </p><p>Harry has his life together. He is a teacher and the school loves him, he has good mates and a nephew who he loves tremendously. He is content with how he lives and the way his life has turned out. </p><p>It isn't until these two men meet that they realize they can't run from there demons, but they need someone who can help them fight them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hello London

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that you all enjoy! This story has been changed and reworked for many many months. 
> 
> I will be updating as fast as I can with balancing a full time job and life. So thank you for the patients with me. 
> 
> I hope that you enjoy the story and comments and lives are much appreciated! 
> 
> XO  
> Violet

“Twenty minutes!” Louis yelled from the kitchen as the kettle whistled as he removed the eggs from the tray and then put the sausage links in the already hot pan. They sizzled as Louis grabbed the kettle, adding the hot water to the French press as his coffee grounds turned into the liquid he needed to drink in order to survive. He heard commotion going on in the bedroom, while the rest of the breakfast cooked, Louis slipped the peanut butter sandwich into the ziplock bag and placed it into the Tardis lunch pail. “Breakfast will be ready in ten!” his voice echoed in semi bare flat that they had moved into just two and a half weeks ago. Grabbing a napkin he found his pen and wrote a note in it before putting it in her lunch pail, closing it up and setting it next to her rucksack that was all packed and ready for school.

Turning he flipped the sausage over in the pan as he kept the eggs warm on the plate for Maggie. Taking a sip of his coffee that was in his cup he walked over to the fridge, he grabbed the chocolate milk out and poured a glass, setting it on the table for her. Listening he heard her talking to herself from her bedroom. Louis bare feet moved across the hardwood floors in the kitchen, he turned off the stovetop and placed the sausage on the plate with eggs. Louis body was screaming from lack of sleep but he was going to have to suck it up and nap before he went in for a mid shift shift at the A&E. Running his hands through his dirty brown hair he smiled as his daughter walked out out her bedroom. 90% ready for her first day of school.

“Sit, eat and then we shall walk to school,” he explained to his daughter as she pulled back the wood chair and sat down. “How do we want our hair today?” he asked her as Maggie took her fork and began to eat her eggs. She shrugged her shoulders. “Are we being quite today?”

Maggie turned her head, her blue eye locked with her father’s and smiled at him, her lips reaching from ear to ear. Scrunching up his face Louis shook his head, bending over he kissed his daughter at the top of the head before he went to grab the hair basket and had to attempt to tame the wild medusa curls that laid on top of his daughter’s head. It was moments like this Louis wished Carly was here and she could use her magic touch to tame these curls.

“Do I have to go today?” Maggie asked sheepishly cutting into the sausage link and taking a bite. “I can wait.”

Setting the basket on the table Louis took a seat next to her, “I know we have moved around a lot the past few years,” he said as he placed his hands on hers, “but I promise you that this is the last move until we both want or need to. You are going to love your new school, you will have James to keep you company.”

Maggie sighed, “Okay.”

Leaning over he kissed her on the head before pushing himself up off the chair and went back to fixing her hair. Grabbing the wide tooth comb he slowly brushed her hair out, pulling it back from her face he pulled it up into a ponytail. “How is breakfast?”

“Brilliant,” she sang out popping another slice of sausage into her mouth before finishing off her chocolate milk. “Can Aunt Charlie help paint my room this week?” Maggie asked her father as Louis arched his brow as he waited to listen to what his daughter had prepared for as her defense on why she wanted to paint her room. “She is good at art, and she had an amazing idea for the color as well as how to set up my room. It’s my first real room I’ve had and I wanted to put on pictures of me and mum, and make it my own.”

Louis thought, he knew that she was correct, he had dragged his daughter all over the world for the past year and a half living in terrible flats, or hotel rooms and sometimes sharing rooms with other Doctors and their families. “What color.”

With that simple question Maggie’s entire face lit up, she spun around in her chair, standing on her knees she looked at her father, “can it be grey?”

“Yes,” he told her as she jumped up to her feet and wrapped her arms around her father's neck which she could reach by standing on the chair. “Okay, we can look at paint colors tomorrow and I will talk to Aunt Charlie about this.”

“Deal,” Maggie said sticking out her hand and shaking it with Louis.

“If you are done, dish in sink, gather your things, I need to get my trainers on,” Louis told Maggie as she sat back down and quickly finished up her breakfast as Louis grabbed his worn out blue Nike trainers from the front door and the socks that were inside of them. Bending down he heard his back crack before standing up he walked over to the couch to get his shoes on. He felt ancient any time he bend over and his back would spasm, or if he was running and his knee would give our from the years of playing footie in College and Uni. He dismissed feeling old, he was grateful that his hair was still full and brunette and not greying like some other mates of his have gone.

He took a seat on the couch and began to slip on his trainers as Maggie finished up her breakfast, sliding out of her seat she grabbed her plate and made her way over to the sink. Using her step stool she rinsed off her plate, and made sure that the sink was clean before she set it for her father to wash it all off and put it in the dishwasher. Jumping off the stool she skipped her way over to her shoes that were by the door. Her hands hovered over her black vans that she wanted to wear, turning her head and looked over at her father and he just shook his head, “school dress code says flats Maggs. I’m sorry,” he told her as her shoulders dropped and she bent down, grabbed her flats and took a seat on the ground to slide them onto her feet.

“I feel like I should be going to Hogwarts Dad, not school,” she explained sticking her feet out in front of her she moved them back and forth tapping them together. “I would be in Gryffindor.” She said and then looked over at Louis who was still sitting on the couch. He winced as his back cracked one more as he saw the wheels turning in her head. “You would be Ravenclaw,” she told him plainly.  “So would Mum.”

Louis smiled, as he looked at his daughter and saw so much of Carly in her, from her eyes, to her heart for all people around her. “You are right about mum, she would be Ravenclaw. Head girl none the less,” he added pushing himself up from his couch. “Me, I would be Hufflepuff,” he said as Maggie scrunched her face up and shook her head disagreeing with his choice. “Gryffindor then?” He asked raising a brow to her.

Maggie noded her head, “that works. I think the sorting hat would ask you and you would choose to be in Gryffindor with Uncle Niall.”

Louis laughed, he knew that Niall would be in Hufflepuff but he wasn’t going to go against what his daughter had put so much thought into this. “Well,” Louis said standing up next to his daughter and holding out his hand to help her get up, “my fellow Gryffindor, why don’t we get our shirt tucked in, jumper all set and head to school? We can meet the headmaster and then your teacher.”

“Okay,” She said standing up, her hands quickly tucking in her white button up shirt into her grey pleated skirt. Pulling her jumper down she looked up at her father who handed her, her jean jacket to wear on the walk to school. While Louis slipped on his jacket Maggie shrugged on her rucksack and grabbed her lunchpail as her and her father headed out of their flat. Walking down the worn white wooden steps that had a faded paisley carpet on them they walked through the front door and turned right. The walk to school was less than ten minutes, and on the first day it was nice to get the jitters out. For both Louis and Magdalena.

It was a lovely Tuesday in London. No matter where Louis lived there was something so beautiful about autumn. Ever since he was a child he loved the slight chill in the air, the smell, the colors, the food. As soon as they stepped outside he took a deep breath in, letting the air fill his lungs as they headed down the street. The sun was hiding behind the clouds in the sky. “When you get off today,” Louis told Maggie as she walked in step with Louis, “I have to work till bedtime so Aunt Charlie will pick you up from school, help with any classwork and make sure that you get ready for bed,” he explained to his daughter as they walked, her eyes on her shoes as they clicked on the pavement. “When I get home I will come in and kiss you goodnight.”

“Promise?” She asked looking up at her father as they stopped at a crosswalk.

Looking down Louis smiled, tapping his daughter's nose, “Promise.”

With only two more blocks to walk Maggie grew quiet. She reached up and grabbed her dad’s hand. Louis looked both ways before he and Maggie ran across the street. Both stood frozen in front of the large brick building. Louis hadn’t been in school for many years, and Maggie had never seen a formal educational building in her life. Both felt the weight of the unknown on their chest as they couldn’t move, as if the concrete around their feet had turned into liquid and swallowed their shoes. Freezing them there for the rest of eternity.

Kids began to make their way through the gate, into the courtyard and up the steps into the building. Parents stood outside and mingled for a bit, catching up on the latest school gossip, what teacher was sleeping with what teacher, what teacher was sleeping with what teacher, the affairs with the nannies, the divorces, those who had been recently found redundant. It was like watching a copy of People Magazine come to life for the common folk of the world. A few teachers helped father the basket balls and made sure all the students got inside as the first warning bell rang.

“Is it okay to be scared?” asked Maggie as she broke the silence between her and her father.

Letting go of her hand, Louis knelt down and looked at his daughter in the eyes. Her blue eyes bright like her mother’s. “Yes, but don’t let being scared stop you. You have done so many things that so people will never be able to do in their life. Going to school will be easy,” his voice cracked as a wave of emotions came over his mind, clearing his throat Louis cupped his daughter's face, his eyes getting foggy from tears. “Clara was scared but out of that came her bravery that you love so much.”

Wrapping her arms around her father’s neck she gave it a squeeze. Louis arms wrapped around her body, she was tall for an eight year old but thin like her mother. Sadly she ended up with the bubble butt that had been so blessed with from his mother. “Ready to go in?” Leaning backward he examined his daughter’s face, she wasn’t sure but she nodded her head. Standing up Louis held out his hand, his daughter grabbed it and they walked in together. Scared but brave all at the same time.

Making their way up the steps, Louis held the grand white door open for his daughter. Walking into the tiled floor they took a sharp right and walked into the Head Master’s office. The secretary who sat at the desk looked up and smiled, her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, that offset her fitted black dresses and heels, “how can I help you?”

“My name is Louis Tomlinson, and this is my daughter Magdalena Ryan Tomlinson and she is here for her first day,” Louis told her as her brown eyes grew wide. Pushing her desk chair on wheels back she stood up and motioned for them to follow her. Louis lead the way as Maggie looked around the office at the few other men and woman behind desks. The secretary knocked once on the glass door before she opened it up.  

“Headmaster Bryant, this is Mr. Tomlinson and Magdalena.”

The Headmaster stood up from her desk, her white hair pulled back into a french twist. She wore a simple charcoal grey suit. She wore a black button up shirt under it with a simple silver necklace. “It’s fantastic to finally meet you both,” she said shaking Louis hand and then bending down to shake Maggie’s. “Have a seat,” she told them as they both sat down and she took a seat behind her oak desk. “We have set you in the classroom with one of our teachers who has been here since he graduated, Mr. Styles.”

Louis nodded as she spoke to him.

“I know that we have emailed back and forth, and I have laid out the details and the expectations of our school. We are thrilled to have Magdalena join us, and I’m sure that she will blossom and grow with the student body.”

Louis bit the bottom of his lip as he listened to Headmaster Bryant speak, “I had been under the impression that she would be in Mrs. Wyatt’s class with James Horan,” Louis said as he adjusted in the chair and looked at his daughter’s face dropped and turned white in fear.

“Her class is full unfortunately,” explained Headmaster Bryant said sympathetically as she leaned forward at her desk. “I promise you Mr. Tomlinson that your daughter will enjoy Mr. Style’s class and if there is an qualms then we will make some changes and we can move her.”

Maggie turned to her father, she was biting her bottom lip but nodded. “Okay,” Louis said a bit fearful himself in this situation.

“When you are ready we can walk to your class Magdalena,” Headmaster Bryant said standing up from her desk and walking around it she made her way out of her office to check on a few things before they walked to class. Louis turned to his daughter, smiling he took her hand and gave it a squeeze, “have the bravery of Clara, the curiosity of Rose, the intelligence of Martha, the sass of Donna and the imagination of Amy,” Louis said to Maggie before he kissed her nose. Taking his hand he signed ‘I love you’ to her.

Maggie stood up, took her father's hand and walked out of the office. She signed back ‘I love you’ to him before letting go of his hand and walking with Headmaster Bryant to her classroom. Louis stood in the office and watched her walk through the glass door. Her outline passed the glass wall and she was gone.

Maggie’s shoes clicked on the tile as they walked down the long hallway. The kids were all hanging up their jackets and things up outside of their rooms while other ran past to make it in time. Turning a corner and up the steps Maggie felt her chest getting tight as they drew closer to her classroom.

“You excited for today Miss Magdalena?” Headmaster Bryant asked as they rounded one more corner and Maggie saw her friend and she felt a bit less anxious about her first day at this big building with so many kids her age, some older and some younger. It was daunting and she wanted to be brave for her father, for her mum and for herself but she was scared deep down. 

“Yes,” she said politely as they drew closer to James and who Maggie suspected was her teacher.

“Make sure everyone is nice to her,” James said his blonde hair arie on his head. His white shirt sticking out from under his jumper. “Maggie!” He said turning around and embracing his best friend. “Mr. Harry this is Maggie,” He said as he pointed to Maggie who gave a shy wave to her teacher who didn’t look like how she pictured a teacher to look, “she is my best friend, so please be nice to her so she stays here forever in London.”

Harry smiled, kneeling down he extended his hand towards James and shook his, “I shall do my best James.”

“Class Mr. Horan,” Headmaster Bryant said as James gave one finally wave to Maggie and ran into his classroom before the final bell.

Before Headmaster Bryant could even introduce Harry he extended his hand to Maggie. “Hello Maggie, I'm Mr. Harry your teacher.”

Maggie extended her hand and shook Harry’s. “Hello,” she said not sure if she should call him Mr. Styles or Mr. Harry.

“Why don’t we head into class, you can get your seat and meet the rest of the class?” Harry said as Maggie nodded. She slowly followed Harry into his classroom. Since she had never been in an ‘official’ classroom she wasn’t sure what the standards were on what they should look like. Her mouth dropped a bit as she looked around. There was a row of windows that looked out onto the playground. On the back wall were cubbies for the students rucksacks and lunch pails. On the left hand side of the room was some cabinets, a table where there were coloring supplies. The desks were lined up in rows of five that went across the the center of the room. Harry’s desk was in the right hand corner where the whiteboard was. “Class,” Harry said standing there with Maggie. “This is our new student, Magdalena. She comes from us from spending time in South America, as well as in America,” Harry placed his hand on the middle of her back between her shoulders. “I would like you all to welcome her into our classroom, and make her feel comfortable here. 

All the students began to say ‘hi’ all at once to Maggie. Her face turned bright red as he waved to the class. Harry gestured over to the desk that was in front of his desk that had a hand made name tag, just like all the other desks had.

“If you would like, you can go and hang up your jacket and lunchbox in your cubbie.”

Maggie nodded, taking a deep breath she made her way down a row of desks she. Finding the cubbie with her name on it, she slipped off her rucksack, setting it down by her feet she shrugged off her jacket, hanging it on the hook she slid her Tardis lunch pail under. She grabbed her rucksack by the top handle and made her way back to her desk. She let her rucksack sit on the side of her desk as she took a seat and Harry walked over to the whiteboard.

“Okay, class, while I talk to Magdalena for a few moments why don’t we all finish up reading the chapter in _Matilda_ ,” Harry told the class as he wrote the pages number on the whiteboard along with a few questions. While Harry did that the kids in her class took out their books and began to read. Once Harry finished, he set the marker down and walked over to Maggie’s desk. Kneeling down he reached over to his desk and grabbed the spare book of _Matilda_ he had grabbed from his house before he left this morning along with the few papers he had for her to look at and fill out. “So, I have some papers that everyone had when the school year began,” he said as he handed them to Maggie. “You don’t need to do this now, nor before the day is done but if you would be able to take them home and review them with your mum and dad and fill them out and bring them back?”

Maggie nodded as she looked at the papers.

“I also have these,” Harry said as he handed her several papers that were stapled together, “these are for your parents to read, it’s just about the class and the outline for the school year and stuff parents like to know,” he explained to her as she nodded again, her eyes locked on the papers. “I also have my email on there if there are any questions and your parents would like to contact me.”

She nodded again as a few student’s eyes looked up from their books and were on her. 

“Eyes on the pages Macy,” Harry said as the heads went back to their books. He turned his attention to Maggie. “We are currently reading _Matilda_ -”

“My dad read that to me last years. I can catch up later if you would like me to?”

Harry raised a brow. “Will you be okay jumping in at the end?”

“The end is the best part,” Maggie told him as her eyes looked at the book. “We read the book on my dad’s iPad or I would have brought it. I’m sorry.”

Harry handed the book over to her, “well as a welcome back to London, the book is yours.”

Maggie’s eyes grew wide as she looked at Harry as if he was lying to her. “Thank you so much Mr. Styles,” she told him, her hands reaching for the book and she looked down at the cover. “Thank you so so much.”

Harry couldn’t help but smile at the genuine gratitude coming from Magdalena. He opened up the book and showed her the chapter the class was on. Maggie nodded to him as he made his way over to his desk he watched to make sure the kids were reading and not goofing off. His eyes watched Barrett as he looked as if he was up to something but he held his lip. His eyes moved over to Maggie who was sitting there, he feet on the bar under her hair and her lips moved as she read the words on the pages. Like she said she jumped right into the novel and read with vigor and excitement as if it was her first time reading it.

When Harry found out he was getting a new student he did his best to try and learn about them, but there wasn't much about Magdalena or her father and mother….. If she had one, well she had one but if she was just out of the picture, or if Louis had adopted Maggie on his own accord. He also wasn't sure how far her education was, while Headmaster Bryant assured him that she was on the same level as the other kids Harry felt that she could be pushed up to the next grade. But he now wanted to wait and see, while Magdalena was articulate with him, he wasn’t sure how she would be with kids her own age. His eyes watched as the students began to set their books down as they had finished the chapter.

“Alright, now who would like to start?” he asked as the kids looked back at him as he stood up from his desk, walking to the front he leaned on it as his eyes narrowed to his class. “I will voluntell someone if no one raises their hand,” he warned them as he gave it three more seconds before he choose a students.

  * •• 



Louis’s eyes focused on a stain on the table, it looked a bit like Winston Churchill. Using his finger tip he drew around the stain, he had tried to clean it off with water but it was there forever. Closing his eyes he ran his hands over his eyes and through his hair. All day his mind had been half on his daughter and if she was doing alright. He almost gave a flu shot to a man who needed his blood drawn. He had half expected to get a call from the school saying that Maggie had gotten sick and he needed to come and get her. He didn’t want that, but he had to mentally prepare himself incase that did happen. It was a big step to just throw his daughter to the wolves. He had been questioning all day if he had made the right choice and having her go to school instead of homeschooling her, with all the free time he didn’t have with work and trying himself to get settled in normal society and life.

“She is fine,” came a familiar voice as Niall walked in, he carried a tray from the Hospital Cafeteria and sat across from Louis. “She has live in Peru, New York, that place in France for 3 weeks, Belize and now back here,” he reminded his friend as Louis extended his middle finger and smiled annoyed at Niall.

Gasping Niall placed his hand over his chest acting offended by Louis actions. “Plus she is with James.”

Making a face Louis shook his head popping a crisp into his mouth. He hadn’t seen Niall when he had gotten in nor did he text him with the information of what had transpired that morning at the Headmaster's office. “Actually, she was placed in a Mr. Styles classroom. Apparently James teacher had a full class.”

Niall’s face fell as he felt terrible now for poking fun at Louis. “Mate, I’m sorry. I thought that Maggie would be with James and that would ease her fear and transition back to normal life.”

“It’s not your fault Niall,” Louis reminded him. “It’s just past two so I’m sure that she will make it through the day and when I get home she will tell me about it. It’s just odd. After Carly passed it’s been me and Maggs. I want her to be,” he held his hands up and used air quotes as he spoke, “Normal,” Niall scoffed and knew that was never going to happen with Louis as her father. “But I don’t want her to feel isolated from the other kids. She has been around kids her age but in situations and conditions that not many kids have experienced in their life.”

Niall nodded his head, taking a bite of his burger, not wanting it to get cold and go to waste. “She is a strong young woman, and while it might be an adjustment for her now she will blossom, make friends, probably be the brightest girl in the whole damn school.” Louis laughed, Niall was right. “Plus we are still on for the zoo correct? Areyna is very excited that you have moved back and I’m shocked she has thrown an bang up party to let everyone know that Louis Tomlinson is back in London.”

Louis laughed, shaking his head he rubbed the palms of his hands over his closed eyelids. He felt the after lunch crash coming. He still have four and a half more hours. “If she is planning one, please tell her no. I love her dearly but I don’t want or need that.”

“Noted, but know that she is a strong willed American who might just tell me to fuck off and do what she wants,” laughed Niall.

“I’m fooked then,” Louis chuckled popping another crisp into his mouth. “So does Areyna have a schedule for the Zoo all planned out?”

Niall cocked his head and laughed, it was a forced fake laugh and Louis knew that he had asked the wrong question. Pulling his mobile from his pocket, he quickly unlocked it and slid it over to Louis. “Read.”

“I’m so glad to be back,” he laughed grabbing Niall’s phone and reading the itinerary for Saturday. 

  * •• 



Their was quiet in the classroom. Harry had his Spotify playlist playing quietly as he graded some papers that he needed to hand back by friday, as well as he finalized the plans for the field trip to go and see the musical _Matilda_ with the class. All he needed now was for parents to actually volunteer to help without him begging or having Headmaster Bryant get involved. His red pen went over a few misspelled words on one student’s paper. It never ceases to amaze him that some students never listened when it came to trying to correct their mistakes that they made over and over with writing papers.

“You coming to lunch Harry?” Liam asked as he knocked on open classroom door. Harry lifted his head and shook his head at his mate and flatmate. He had been thrown off when Liam wore trousers to work today but a student teacher began with him today and he wanted to be well dressed for them. Harry felt that the only reason Liam took the PE teaching job was so that he could wear track pants. He had majored in maths and sports medicine. But he was happy, he loved what he did so he wasn’t going to question him. “Earth to H. Styles!?” Liam said as he waved his hand as Harry came to it.

“No,” he said to him. “I’m going to eat here and get some work done.”

“Suit yourself. You are going to miss the lovely drama between Priscilla and Chad?”

“I think I shall pass,” Harry admitted to him as his eyes locked on the paper. As much as he would love to hear about how Chad slept with someone else and then have Chad tell them that she never wanted to have sex so that is why he did it. “Liam I know you love that gossip but I rather pass this time.”

“I will give you the cliffnotes version at home tonight,” he laughed, walking away he stopped and stuck his head back into Harry’s classroom. “Oh, I’m going to get dinner and drinks with Johanna after work with some of her coworkers. I shouldn’t be late. Do you want me to pick up anything from Tesco on my way home.”

“Milk, I will probably use the last of it when I make dinner tonight,” Harry told him. “Tell Jojo I said hello.”

Liam winked and made a clicking sound with his mouth as he pointed to Harry and headed on his way to lunch. Finishing up that one paper he had four more to go in the stack and then it was on to grade the maths papers. He heard the bell faintly ring from the outside as the sound of the kids playing quieted as they all headed in and made their way to lunch. “Eat something,” Harry told himself, setting his pen down. He pulled out a banana from his bag, pealing it he took a bite as he saw Maggie standing outside his classroom by the door to come in. Her face was serious as if she was having an internal debate about something. He let her be, taking another bite before he heard the door open and she walked in, her shoes click muffled by the carpet in his room. “Can I help you Ms. Tomlinson?”

“Um, can I eat lunch in here? The tall teacher with grey hair said I had to sit with my class and James got in trouble for trying to sit with me.”

Harry’s blood boiled as he knew what teacher Magdalena was speaking of. “Sure,” Harry said knowing that he shouldn’t but the look of fear in her eyes he knew he couldn’t send her back out there. The last thing he wanted was for her to not return tomorrow for fear.

“I promise to be quiet so you can work,” she told him as she sat back down at her desk, setting her Tardis lunch pail on top. Without saying another work she opened up her lunch, pulling out her sandwich, crisps, sliced apples, homemade brownie and her water. Harry looked up as Maggie did as she said she would do, she sat there and ate her lunch, her foot tapping the air to the rhythm of the music that was playing. Looking back down he went to work on grading another paper. While his eyes read the words, and his hand moved across as the red pen hovered over the paper he wanted to talk with Magdalena. She was an interesting human, and even more so that she was unlike any other student Harry had ever had in his years of teaching.

But keeping his focus on his work Harry was able to breeze through the last few papers and finish his banana. “I’m going to run to the loo, I will be right back,” he said pushing his chair away from his desk, standing up and heading out of the classroom. He made his way down to the bathroom, all the kids that were in his wing of the school were at lunch so it was silent. His mind turned about Maggie, he wanted to go and talk with Liam but he knew once he stepped into the teacher's lounge then he would be pulled into the drama that was no doubt taking place, for if it was a dull lunch hour Liam would have come to bother him in his room.

_She is a normal student drop it Harry._ He told himself as he finally relieved his bladder. _She has been well educated by her father or maybe another teacher and that is a good thing. She is just shy and new and that is all. You don’t need to get involved and overstep your bounds. We know that only leads to trouble with both parties_. He washed his hands and made his way back to his classroom when he walked in there was a half of a sandwich and brownie on his desk.

“You only had a banana, and my dad made me a massive breakfast today so I’m not all that hungry,” Maggie told him as she looked up from her book. “I just didn’t want you to go hungry since you are having lunch in your room.”

Harry couldn’t help but smile at the kindness of her heart. “Thank you Magdalena.”

“Maggie,” she said. “Everyone calls me Maggie, unless I’m in trouble then my dad uses my full name.”

Laughing, he took a seat and took a bite of the brownie. “Noted, Maggie.”

Maggie’s lips spread across her face reaching from ear to ear before putting her nose back down into her book. 

“What are you reading?”

Maggie held up the book as she finished the sentence on the page she was reading. It was the fourth book in the _Series of Unfortunate Events_ . “I read Harry Potter in the summer with my dad and he said I have to wait a few years till I can read the _Hunger Games_ ,” she explained putting her bookmark back in it’s place. “Sometimes we didn’t have internet where we lived so I read a lot, or my dad would get books on audio for me to listen to,” she explained to Harry as she packed up her lunch and cleaned up her desk. “Do you like to read Mr. Harry?”

“I do,” he admitted to her tearing off a piece of the peanut butter sandwich. “Where all have you lived?”

“ I was born in London and we lived here for a while and then we went to New York for a few weeks and then to Auvergne, and from there we lived seven months in Peru and then eight months in Belize. But we traveled a lot in America when my dad had time off from work.”

“You have been all over the place,” Harry said a bit shocked that someone at the age of Eight had not only lived more place than he had, but had traveled more than he had. “What was your favorite place?”

“I like when we spent a week in Denver, we got to ski and see the town and it was nice that my dad didn’t have to work and we got to spend Christmas where there was snow,” she told him excited. “My dad ended up breaking his toe tripping on a ski in the flat we were renting and he had to just watch me for he wasn’t allowed to ski until it healed up.”

Harry tried not to laugh but Maggie seemed to find it funny till this day about her father’s injury. “What does your dad do that caused you both to travel so much?” Harry asked her pushing the maths papers to be graded to the side. He wanted to understand Maggie better and if this was the only time she opened up when people weren’t around he was going to learn all he could before that bell rang.

“Doctors without borders,” she told him casually as she got out of her seat to throw away the rest of her trash. “But he said that we are here to stay until I got to Uni,” she explained walking back and taking her lunch pail and walking it back to her cubbie. “Have you always lived here?”

“Yes,” Harry said. “Well not in London, I moved to London when I went to Uni and I stayed.”

“You never traveled?”

Harry shook his head, “I went with some friends to Greece for a few weeks in the summer but I have never been to America.”

Maggie’s eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped, “you need to Mr. Harry. You would like New York, people were those pointy boot there so you would fit right in.”

“That is good to know,” he laughed looking down at his pointy boots. Kids were observant to say the least. Maggie went back to reading her book, her mouth moving as she read the words in her head and her eyes moved over the words and the pages turned one right after the other. Harry turned the music down so she would be able to concentrate as he finished off the sandwich. While he wasn’t use to eating lunch while at work, he was the teacher who would try and stay ahead of grading while on lunch, it was nice to take a few moments and actually enjoy his lunch like a sane person. “Thank you for sharing your lunch with me Maggie,” he said to her as he saw that she was at a stopping point in her book.

“Any time,” she said putting her book back into her rucksack that hung on the back of her chair. “Can I go use the toilet before the bell rings?”

Harry nodded and she headed out of the classroom. He tossed the napkin that the food sat on, but before he did he saw there was writing on the side of it. It read

_You are as brave as Clara and I love you my Maggs. XO Dad_.

“Harry,” a voice said as Harry looked up and saw the older teacher with grey hair who Maggie had been talking about. Tabitha Flinch. “One of your students was missing from lunch, I think you might want to address that. James Horan tried to sit with her and he had his lunch with the headmaster and then your student ran off. 

Fighting back the urge to roll his eyes Harry cleared his throat, “I know, Maggie came and ate with me, she had a few things I wanted her to get caught up on in class so she wasn’t to far behind and felt as if it was to much for her handle,” he lied for he knew Tabitha would go and tell the Headmaster he was breaking the rule about students eating with teachers in their rooms.

Tabitha narrowed her eyes at Harry and after a few seconds, she turned around and left the room and made her way back to her classroom. Harry was happy that she was gone by the time Maggie walked back into the classroom. As she stepped foot into the classroom the bell rang for lunch to be over and soon the hallway were filled with the students. Before Maggie could say thank you to Harry the room was filled with her classmates.

“Welcome back everyone,” Harry said as the students put their lunch pails in their cubbies and took their seats. “We will start with Maths so when you get settled take out your workbooks and we shall begin.”

  * ••



“Okay, so you have the maths worksheet, as well as you need to read the next twelve pages in your book,” Harry told his students as they began to pack up. “Also, I need you to read the chapter in your science books and answer the last three questions.”

The students moaned a bit as Maggie made sure that she grabbed her science books before the bell rang and all the kids ran back to get there rucksacks and jackets. Maggie took her time as she packed up her rucksack. Walking back towards her cubbie she slipped her jacket back on, and gathered up everything.

“Thank you Mr. Harry,” Maggie said to her teacher, walking out of the glassdoor.

“Have a good rest of your day,” Harry told her as he watched as she walked out the door that lead to the playground. He watched as the students walked to their parents and he noticed that Maggie walked over to a brunette who he assumed was her mother. “You did good today Harry,” he said to himself, packing up all his stuff he checked his mobile and saw a few texts from his sister, his mum and Liam who was giving him a play by play of what happened at lunch.

**Don’t forget the milk after dinner - Harry**

Harry said as he texted Liam before slinging his worn leather bag in his shoulder and leaving his classroom. Grabbing his green jacket as he left. He made sure the light was off as he made his way down the hallway, his boots clicking on the time as he took the steps two at a time. He was ready for a beer, dinner and some _Fixer Upper_ in Netflix.

Pushing the front doors of the school open, jogging down the steps he heard his mobile go off.

“Ello,” he said fumbling for his keys in his bag as he made a left and headed to the carpark where the teachers had assigned spots finally this year. The fall air felt nice for him to breathe in since he had been in his classroom for 99 percent of the day.

“So you do answer your mobile,” Gemma joked as Harry heard his nephew on the other end. “I just wanted to make sure that we are still solid on our plans for this weekend. 

Unlocking his car Harry set his bag in the passenger seat before getting in. “Yes, why?” he asked her not sure if she was canceling or just double checking the plans. He never knew with his sister it could go either way at this point.

“Mum said you have been weird and I wanted to make sure that you are okay.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “I'm fine,” he said a bit annoyed through his teeth as he turned his car on.

There was a pause on the phone, “is that a fine where you are actually fine and mum and I are over thinking or is it a fine where you are feeling dead inside with sorrow about love and loss?”

“Fine is that I'm about to hangout this call if you keep at me,” he said as he pulled out of the car park and headed home, unrolling the windows in the front to let the cool air in and turning his music down so he would actually be able to hear his sister as she spoke to him.

“Feisty, okay,” Gemma said. “Well we can meet at WhiteGrass at one. I'll have Asher with, which can I know you won't mind but I wanted let you know.”

“Brilliant,” Harry laughed. “Gem, I'm honestly okay, it's been two years,” he reminded her and himself that it had been two years and for once he was happy with his life and he wasn’t going to let his paranoid mother or sister freak him out. “I am looking forward to Saturday, so can we focus on that?” he asked her.

“Yes,” Gemma told him as he heard some commotion on the other end of the mobile. “Seb is feeding Asher so I have a few moments,” she assured him as he could hear her moving and going to a quieter room. “How was work?”

“Good,” explained Harry, “I got a new student and she is different.”

“Different like thinks aliens are real, wears her pants over her clothes? Thinks the fruit can talk?

Harry laughed, “Jesus no,” he said shaking his head as he turned down his street. “Who the hell do you know thinks that fruit can talk?”

“Not important,” she said cutting her brother off. “So what is up with this new student?”

“So her father, not sure if there is a mother in the picture or not, but he worked for Doctors without borders so she has lived everywhere. I mean _everywhere_ and she is so smart Gem, she jumped right into the school work and she knew the maths that I’ve been teaching and knew it all. Her reading levels are higher than anyone in my class and are about two grade levels above where she should be.”

Gemma cleared her throat, “Is she a mutant? Do you need to contact Charles Xavier?”

“Are you on crack?” Harry laughed shaking his head at his sister as he slowly drove down the street as a few kids ran across the street chasing a football. “No, her father must have also been teaching her while he was being a doctor. It just - I’m so confused.”

“She is just smart,” Gemma explained to her brother as he pulled his car up to his flat. “I need to go and check on dinner for me and Sebastian . I love you and we shall see you Saturday. Just be a great teacher like I know that you are.”

Turning his car off Harry smiled, “thanks Gem. Give Asher a kiss and tell Sebastian  I said hello. Thank you for calling to check up on me.”

“Any time baby brother,” Gemma said as she hung up the phone, “go get dinner, grade your papers and be productive.”

“Noted,” he said. Love you Gem.”


	2. Curiosity Killed The Harry

The sounds of chairs squeaked over the floors as the students made their way to their cubbies to pack their rucksacks for their weekend. Harry had given them the five minute warning and they had to make sure that their desks were cleaned up, chairs put on top and everything around them was cleaned up. Once Harry had given them the okay they all raced to the back of the classroom to pack up. 

Doing a double take as he wakes to the door Harry’s boots slid on the tile as he used his long arms to reach on his desk and grab the stack of permissions slips before he walked and found a home at the classroom door. “Before you leave make sure you get one of these,” Harry said as he raised the papers over his head. “These are permission slips for the musical. I need them signed,” he said as a few students walked over to him, their rucksacks half zipped up and dragging behind them as they kids wanted to get out for the weekend. Harry handed them each a paper. “I need these back by Thursday,” he reminded them as they took the papers and headed out of the classroom. “If your mum or dad would like to help out and be a chaperone, please have them fill out the flip side,” he reminded them as he handed out a few more papers out. 

Maggie stood in the back of the classroom as she made sure that she had all her books that she needed. Putting her lunch pail in her rucksack she zipped it all up and made her way over to where Mr. Harry was standing, she could see that James was waiting outside for her of the classroom. All the other students pushed out in front of Maggie to leave the classroom. Waiting patiently she waited till everyone was out of the room and she made her way over to Harry.

“Have a good weekend Mr. Harry,” Maggie told him as she took the permission slip from him. “Thank you for this week.” 

Harry smiled down at Maggie, “you are very welcome Maggie. Have a brilliant weekend.” 

She gave him a wave before leaving the classroom and meeting up with James who gave Harry a wave and they both headed down the hasty. 

Silence. 

Letting out a sigh and took his hand and pressed them on his lower back. He needed to get realigned or something, damn his mother’s side with bad joints and backs. Fanning the papers out Harry realized that every student did get one, guess there is always a first for everything. His shoes clicked on the floor as he made his way over to his desk to pack up and head home. He knew that he should go and work out. He had his gym bag in the car but he was worn from the week and ready to just relax this Friday night. 

“Just get your ass up tomorrow Styles and go and run,” he told himself but he knew that he there was a 70 percent chance that he wouldn’t. But it was worth thinking that he would. That was half the battle was it not? Opening the bottom drawer of his desk with the files e sipped the remaining remissions slips in there, knowing a few will have ‘lost the paper’ from school Friday to school Monday. His mind went into packing mode, he was ready to go home and relax for the weekend and not get caught here and end up spending several hours doing something for another teacher out of the kidneys of his heart. 

“Okay I need this,” he said to himself as he grabbed the Maths book, science, as well as the final project ideas for when the class finished  _ Matilda _ . “And then this,” he said as he grabbed his coffee mug and container that had his salad in it that he had for lunch. Looking around he checked off the mental note of what he needed to bring home for the weekend. “Do I have everything….” he asked himself. 

“I don’t know, do you?” Liam’s voice asked as he leaned in the doorway. He had his work bag on his shoulder and his coffee mug in his hand. 

Harry didn’t even look up as he zipped up his bag, “Don’t be a tosser,” he laughed as he was a bit shocked that Liam wasn’t headed out of work and on to his date night with Jo. “Date night?” 

Liam shook his head, “no, she has a meeting  so I was going to head home, order a pizza and enjoy the Friday,” he told him with a smile. “Veggie with white sauce and light cheese?” He asked pointing at his mate to double check even though Liam was a thousand percent sure he was right about the order. 

Harry smiled, as much as Liam made fun of him and how he ate he had never been one to eat red meat. Even when he was younger it just was there and he would opt for Chicken or no meat at all. Most people just thought he was a hippie. He was when he was in Uni and still in his heart he is one. “I can pick up some beer on my way home if you want to cover the pizza?” Harry suggested to him. 

Liam nodded walking farther into his classroom, his mouth opened as if he was about to say something when he heard a voice in the hallway. His brown eyes grew wide as his body froze for a few seconds before jolting into action. He ran over to Harry’s desk, taking his hand he shoved his friend in his chair against the wall as Liam dropped to his knees and hid under Harry’s desk. His left hand reached out, grabbed one of the legs of the chairs as he pulled Harry back towards his desk. 

“What the bloody hell,” Harry hissed as his body flung around in his chair like a rag doll bumping into everything around him. 

“Shut it Styles!” Liam yelled through his teeth. Harry pushed his chair back and leaned down and looked at his friend under his desk. Liam’s back was pressed up against the side, his knees came up to his chin and his head was bent to the side. 

“What the actual-” Harry said as he stopped as he heard a voice in the doorframe. 

“Ello,” the high pitch voice said that scared Harry where he hit his head on the bottom of his desk. “Oh no, are you okay?” the voice asked as Harry held up a hand to stop the person from walking into his classroom as he sat up, and kept his chair close to his desk to hide Liam from whoever he was hiding from. The blonde that stood in the doorway smile as she waved at Harry. “I was looking for Liam, I’m his student teacher and I needed to go over a few things with him,” she said taking her hand and twirling her hair around her finger. Harry knew that she was trying to flirt with him and no doubt she had been hitting on Liam all week long. 

“I think he left,” Harry said playing stupid as he shook his left leg to get Liam’s hand off of him. “Was it urgent?” 

She shook her head. “No, it can wait till Monday. Thank you,” she said turning on her heels and walking down the hallway. Harry sat there kicking Liam in the leg as he waited. He listened to her footsteps fade. He kept his chair in front of his desk till he heard nothing. Spinning around he watched as he saw the faint figure that was the girl walking down the front steps and heading over to where the buses are. 

Once Harry knew that she was gone, he pushed himself away from the desk and looked down at his mate who was hiding like a three year old was hiding from an upset parent. “Who the bloody hell was that?” 

“Ms. Mary. She is the student teacher for my class and she has been non stop with the advances and nope,” Liam told him as he pushed Harry away from the desk, he tossed his bag out first and then on his hands and knees crawled out from under Harry’s desk. “She is nice, but she doesn’t understand that I don’t fancy her nor do I intend to cheat on Jo. I love her more than I love myself,” he explained standing up and brushing his knees and arse off. 

“You should tell Headmaster Bryant before things happen, and if you don’t return what she is sending out you can get fired mate.” 

Liam’s shoulders fell. 

“As bad as it is mate you know that it’s true. I would talk to her Monday. You don’t want to be jobless. I’ll stop being your friend. Jo will dump you and you will live in a box in Regents park.” 

“Dick,” Liam said as he extended his middle finger. “I emailed the Headmaster and I have a meeting on Monday so I guess you are stuck with me,” he joked as Harry smiled up at his friend. “I have a few errands to run before I order the pizza now that I know it’s safe.”

Harry laughed. 

“Dinner at 7?” 

“Ta,” Harry told him as Liam walked towards the door his eyes looking around to make sure that no one was waiting for him. “Here,” Harry said as he grabbed his car keys from his bag, “take these,” he said as he tossed Liam his keys. “In case she is by your car you can get away with her following you to our flat.” As he tossed the keys they fell about four feet away from Liam’s feet. He raised his brow as Harry just shrugged, “you know that I’m rubbish at sports.”

Liam laughed and shook his head. “Thanks mate and here,” he said taking his keys from his pocket and setting them on the desk that he was standing next to. “Don’t want you to miss and get knocked out.” 

Harry mimicked him and went back to packing up his things. “Well why don’t you go before she follows you to my car and then you are jobless and labeled as a pedo, friendless, homeless and single.” 

“You are a dick.” 

“I try,” Harry smiled like the cheshire cat and placed his hands under his chin just to be even more of dick. Liam gave him the finger as he headed out of his classroom door that lead outside and to the car park and towards Harry’s car. Shaking his head Harry looked back down at his desk and made sure to grab his laptop, phone charger, a few loose papers that he needs to look over as well. As he moved the papers around he saw the one that Maggie filled out about herself. They had been interesting to say the least. The way she talked about her life seemed unreal, she had been so many places and she was so close with her father and no mention of her mother. 

Harry knew it wasn’t his place to find these things out. Hell, it wasn’t anyones place as long as the children in her classroom were healthy and living in healthy homes he shouldn’t be worried like he was. Why was he so concerned about Magdalena then? The name itself lent to her being seen as a unique child but how she carried herself and when she spoke it was like an adult was speaking through a child. 

“Just leave it be,” Harry said to himself quietly as he double checked his desk before grabbing his jacket from the hook he had by his desk. But he couldn’t leave it - there was something that was driving him up the wall about Maggie and her story. Liam had warned him not to get involved, Johanna had warned him not to get involved but he wanted to so bad. Not for the fact that he was nosey but he was curious about her. Her grades were above all those in her class and he knew soon enough they would want to move her up a level for her academics. He wasn’t so sure about her social skills. 

She wasn’t antisocial. He saw that she interacted when she needed to with classmates but there was something holding her back from truly engaging with her peers. He wasn’t sure if she was use to be in a classroom with those older than her, or if she was use to having more one on one attention when it came to the academic sphere.  

Slipping his jacket on Harry checked his mobile and was about to turn the light off and head out of his classroom when he heard another knock on the door. Eli from the front office stood there holding a file in his hand. “Harry, thank god that you are here,” he said to him as he walked into the classroom and over to Harry. “Can you give these to Magdalena Tomlinson come Monday?” he asked as he handed him the envelope. “It’s just some papers for her parent to fill out about pick up by non family members and so forth,” he explained as Harry took the envelope and nodded. 

“Busy day up at the front office?” 

Eli nodded his head, “lots of paperwork and tedious work today,” he explained as he opened the folder to make sure that all the papers were in there. “Thank you, I meant to get them out today but my head was all over the place and not where it should have been.”

Harry nodded, “No worries Eli. How is Abe and the little one?” 

“Good. I don’t know how I’m still standing but here I am. This weekend is going to be a nice quiet one. My mum is taking Kayla so we can enjoy us time.” 

“Cheers,” he said. “I’m glad that I’ve been able to help you. Have a fantastic weekend Eli.” 

“You as well,” he said leaving Harry’s classroom. Harry looked down at the papers and he got an idea. He wasn’t sure if he should follow through. God, no, he knew that he shouldn’t follow through but he didn’t care. He was going to do it. Shoving the papers into his bag she slipped on his jacket. Making his way he checked his classroom before turning out the lights. He made sure to walk past the desk and grab Liam’s keys as he made his way out of the classroom. Locking the door he headed to Liam’s car. He had an idea where Maggie lived, one lunch she had been telling him about her new flat and from what he had gathered he figured out where she lived. 

“Try and if you fail then you just wait till Monday. No harm no foul,” he said trying to justify why he was being such a creeper. God he was going to get fired if he went. He needed to think clearly and just go to Tesco get the beer and head back home where Liam would be and just drop this. Drop it all and wait till Monday when Magdalena would arrive for the school week. 

His shoes made there way over the pavement as he walked towards Liam’s car. He knew that Liam was desperate today when he agrees to drive his car and not his own. Harry’s car - it was a 1997 and was about to die any day but being a teacher he had to invest in other things. While Liam had decided to lease a brand new car last year and loved it more than he loved himself at times. Using the car fob he unlocked the Ford Fiesta. He set his bag in the back of the car and grabbed his mobile from the pocket to plug it in for his music. While he knew what he should do his instinct was telling him something different and that was driving him mental. Harry began to reason it out as he took a seat in Liam’s car. 

_ If you go, you just say that you wanted him to get it so he didn’t have to worry about the school being upset if someone not family picks up Maggie. You could say you were passing through and Maggie had told you where she lived so it’s not like you were stalking them. Which you aren’t. You haven’t even Facebook creeped on her father. God you sound like a crazy man Harry. What has gotten into you?  _ He asked himself turning around to make sure that Mary wasn’t in the back seat naked waiting for Liam. She seemed just that crazy to do it. 

Harry turned the car on, buckled up before plugging in his mobile and the music began to play through the car as he put it into reverse and pulled out of the school car park. As he reached where he needed to turn left or right he turned left. His body took over his mind and just turned right and made his way to Maggie’s house. He headed down the two blocks, and then made a left on Mockingbird. He wasn’t even sure how he got there but his car pulled over to the side as he parked in front of what he was with 99% certainty was Maggie’s home, due to the blue door that looked like The Tardis. 

“You are mental Harry,” he told himself turning off Liam’s car and grabbed the papers for Maggie’s parents he set on the passenger's seat. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say. Hell, he wasn’t sure of anything at this point. He just hoped that whatever came out of his mouth wouldn’t make him sound like a creepy teacher or get him in trouble. His shoes walked across the street and he ended up there at the sidewalk in front of the flat. It was like Maggie has described, quaint. Exhaling he stood up straight and made his way through the gate and up the path to the front door. Lifting his hand up he knocked three times and waited. Looking up he saw the light for the hallway turn on and footsteps running down towards the door. 

“It could be pizza!” he heard Maggie call out. 

“Wait!” another voice said as he heard the door unlock and it open. There stood the brunette that Harry saw the first day of school pick up Maggie. She had on a simple maroon dress with black stockings and a heather grey wool jumper over her dress. Her short brown hair was half up in a bun while the rest hung down on her neck.“Hello,” she said her eyes wide with curiosity at who he was. 

“Aunt Charlie who is it?” Maggie asked as she rounded the corner of the worn white steps and her eyes lit up. “Mr. Harry!” 

Harry smiled as he looked at the brunette and realized that this was Mr. Tomlinson’s sister. So not his wife, or Maggie's mother. He now had even more questions than before. “Sorry, I normally don’t make house calls but these papers,” he said holding them out for Charlie as she took them, “they were dropped off at the end of the day and they are for Mr. Tomlinson to sign so that way the school doesn’t worry if someone else comes to pick up Magdalena at the end of the day,” he explained his voice shaking a bit, though he wasn’t sure why. “She just needs to bring them in come Monday.” 

“Ta,” Charlie said pushing her short brown hair behind her ears as she looked over the papers. “Well thank you Mr. Harry.” 

“Have a fantastic weekend…” 

“Charlotte. I’m Louis’s sister. Maggie’s Aunt.” 

_ Aunt. Noted _ . Harry told himself. “Well thank you Charlotte. I will be on my way.” 

“Have a good night Mr. Styles,” she said with a sly smile. 

“Bye!” Maggie called out as she waved to her teacher before Charlie shut the door. “That was nice of Mr. Harry,” Maggie told her Aunt as they headed back up the stairs. “I like him a lot as my teacher,” she explained to Charlie. “He let’s me have lunch with him since I can’t sit with James and the grey haired teacher is truly evil and I don’t like being around her.” 

Charlotte turned her head and looked at her niece as she walked behind her up the steps, “why can’t James eat lunch with you?” 

“His teacher has this rule that you have to seat at the tables with your classmates and so when he tries to sit with me he gets yelled at, and now since he tried so much he has to eat lunch with the headmaster,” Maggie explained as she lead the way back up. “You know how grandma and grandpa from mum’s side are just mean? That is James’s teacher. She is just mean for being mean. No reason behind it at all.” 

Charlotte bit her bottom lip as she tried not to laugh or encourage Maggie but she had a point about her grandparents from Carly’s side of the family. They were a bit… vile to say the least and Charlie was glad that Louis had cut off all ties with them before Carly had passed away but even more so after her death. “Well,” Charlie said as they walked back into the flat, the kitchen table was now home to her sewing machine, and the costume that she was currently making for Maggie. “Since the pizza hadn’t arrived why don’t we get you in this,” she said grabbing the blue skirt and blazer, “and see how it fits?”

Maggie took the skirt from her Aunt’s hand and was careful about the pins that were still in the skirt. Turning on her heels she made her way to the bathroom to try it on. “The hat?” 

“Will be made soon miss,” she laughed shooing her niece away. She listened as he feet walked across the hardwood floors and the bathroom door shut. Charlie felts around the table under the fabric on the kitchen table. Pushing away the tan silk fabric to make the shirt she found her mobile and a few missed messages. 

Unlocking her mobile, she read the few tweets she missed, and quickly replied to the text that Marci sent her. Pulling up the messages with her brother she wanted to see if he was able to get our early and check in on him with work and tease him a bit about Mr. Harry driving by. 

**Hey how is work going? We got pizza from the money that you left. I’m almost done with Maggs costume and then I will get her to bed once we have dinner. I have a story to tell you when you get back. And NO I will not tell you sooner. - C**

**Work is good. I will be home a bit early but not by much. Thank you again. You know you can always crash in my bed and spend the night so you don’t have to go back to campus so late. And you suck you know that. - L**

**That would be so weird to sleep in your bed - C**

**1) You slept with me all the time until you were like 10. 2) It’s not like I have used it for anything other than sleeping and so help me if you say wanking I will slap you when I see you. 3) You know that I don’t like you traveling that late alone and not saying that as trying to be dad but as your big brother. Four; please tell me the story (; - L**

**I need to bleach my eyes. I don’t EVER. And I mean EVER want to know about your sex life of the relationship your hand has to your dick. In the winter when the weather is bad I will take you up on the offer but now I am fine. And hell no. You can wait, it’s something to look forward to. - C**

**Oh, there will be pictures in a few seconds of Agent Peggy Carter - C**

**Minus the hat - C**

**Your daughter is just as bloody stubborn as you - C**

**She gets it from me and Carly. She was worse than I was when we were in Uni lol - L**

**Lord help the world - C**

Setting her mobile down she looked as Maggie walked out of the bathroom with a smile on her face as she walked quickly over to her Aunt. She placed her hands on her hips and struck a pose in her blue suit, tan silk top. Everything to look like Peggy Carter, minus the hat. “How does it fit?” 

“Good, the skirt is perfect,” she told her aunt as she lifted the blazer up and showed off the skirt and then she walked closer to her aunt. “Is it too long?” 

Kneeling down, she grabbed some pins and adjusted the length of it, holding the spare pins in her mouth she sat down on her butt and slid back to check the length for Maggs. “The shirt?” 

“Perfect,” she told her aunt and then held up her arms, “the sleeves were long enough for Charlotte could see that it didn’t fit the way that she wanted it to in the back. 

“Hold please,” she said kneeling she took the pins and began to adjust the size of the blazer for Maggie. “Okay let me help you out of this,” she said as she slipped the blazer off Maggs and laid it on the kitchen table as the doorbell rang to the flat. Charlie held her hand up, “Change and I will go and get the food,” she said grabbing her wallet and heading out of the flat and jogging down the steps. Reaching the first floor she opened the door and saw the boy there with the pizza and other goodies they had ordered. “Thank you,” she said giving him the tip as she took the boxes from his hands. Shutting the door with her foot she locked the front door and made her climb back up the steps. 

Reaching the landing, Charlie walked into the flat and saw that Maggie was back in her clothes and she had set the plates on the coffee table, since she had taken over the kitchen table. “So, do you want to watch an episode of  _ Doctor Who  _ now or after dinner?” Charlotte asked Maggie as she set the pizza in the middle of the table and opened up the box. “We can only do one since you will be having an early day tomorrow.” 

“So dinner, an episode of a show on the DVR and then shower and sleep. You have a long day tomorrow.” 

Sitting down her back against the couch and her legs under the coffee table Maggie looked at her aunt not sure what she wanted to do. “Can we watch one now and we have time a half one after?” 

“Sure,” Charlotte laughed giving in as she walked over to the fridge and grabbed herself a beer and Maggs a sprite. “Pick what one you want.” 

Grabbing the remote Maggie turned the telly on and pulled up netflix to see what episode that she wanted to watch while they had dinner. “Are you sure you can’t come to the zoo with us tomorrow?” Maggie asked as Charlotte set her drink on the table and took a seat on the couch, setting her beer on the end table so not to spill it. 

“I’m sure,” she told her reaching over and grabbing a few slices of pizza and then some cheesey bread. “I have a few things to get done tomorrow, plus you will be with James so you won’t need me,” she joked as Maggie turned and looked at her confused. “We can always go back, the zoo isn’t going anywhere Maggs.”

Pressing play she pointed a finger at her Aunt, “I’m holding you to that,” she said as Charlotte held up her pinky finger, her hand holding the slice of cheese pizza. Maggie set the remote down on the table as the theme music began, extending her pinky she linked it with her aunts and they shook on it. Turning her attention to the food Maggie grabbed a slice of pizza and then a few slices of cheesy bread as her eyes went to the telly and Charlie enjoyed the dinner and the telly. 

Leaning forward Charlie grabbed another slice of pizza before she asked, “so have you made any friends at school?” 

“Kinda no.” 

Pressing her lips together Charlie narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. What kind of answer is that. An answer that a Tomlinson would give, that is what. “Kinda no?” she asked her

“I talk with people, but I rather play with James after lunch,” she explained to her aunt. “This boy keeps saying that James is my boyfriend but James and I discussed and we aren’t.” 

Charlotte tried not to laugh, “no?” 

“Ew, no. He is like my brother Aunt Charlie. So I told Barrett that is he wants to insist on such falsies then he can go and do it with someone else for doing it to James and I makes him look silly.” 

“And has he?” 

“No,” she said her voice sounding sad as she talked about it. “But I don’t pay him any mind.” 

“Good,” Charlotte said to her pulling her feet under her as she sat on the couch and ate and watched as Maggie picked at her food, her attention towards the telly. She finished off several glasses of water and by the time the episode of  _ Doctor Who _ was over she had eaten half of her slice of pizza and one and a half of her cheesey bread pieces. She wasn’t sure if she wasn’t eating due to the telly being on, but she knew Maggs and she wasn’t one to just not eat. “How is your pizza?” 

“Good,” Maggie said to her as she moved it around on her plate. “I’m actually full. Is that okay?” 

Charlie took a deep breath in, “sure,” she said setting her empty plate on the coffee table as the episode came to an end Maggie got up and gathered her plate and walked over to the kitchen and dumped the food on her plate and dumped the paper plates that her and her aunt were eating off of. Getting up off the couch Charlie let Maggie start another episode as she cleaned up. 

Gathering the boxes she made her way into the kitchen she condensed the pizza and bread into one box and slipped that in the fridge for her brother when he got home to devour before crashing asleep only to wake up and do it all again tomorrow. Every part of her wished that she could help her brother more than what she was doing now. He had give so much to her, and all she can do it come over and spend time with her niece which is what she would do even if he didn’t need it. Looking around the kitchen she began to clean up the table, folding the fabric and putting it into her bag along with the thread, and the bobbins. 

“Fifteen minutes we need to shower and get ready for bed Maggs,” Charlie told her as Maggie gave her a thumbs up and curled up into a ball on the couch as her eyes kept on the telly screen. Charlotte put her sewing machine in it’s container. She didn’t want Louis to come home to a messy flat. 

“Can I read after my shower?” 

“Sure thing, chicken wing,” she said as Maggie giggled turning off the telly and walking over to give her a hug and kiss before she walked her body over to the bathroom to shower and get ready for bed. 

Charlotte’s stocking feet moved over the floors of the flat, she set the papers that Harry dropped off for Louis, along with the mail she picked up from the post box for him when she got home from getting Maggs. Cleaning up the dishes in the sink she listened as the shower went on and after ten minutes it turned off. Moving back to the living area Charlie moved the coffee table back to where it was before they feasted on it. 

“Night,” Maggie’s voice said as she walked out, her hair wet and in her jimjams. She wrapped her arms around her aunt’s waist as Charlie bent down and kissed the top of her head. “Love you.” 

“I love you too,” she said as her niece walked over to her bedroom. Her door shut and the flat was quiet and now Charlie just had to wait for her brother to get home. She had left out a few things for her to begin the hand sewn alterations to Maggie’s halloween costume this year. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, she hunched over and time seemed to slip away from her. She had pulled all her hair up on the top of her head, pushed up the sleeves of her cardigan and got to work. The silence helped her focus on this and getting it done in a timely manner for she had a few other requests as well as school was going to kick in soon for she was going to feel that she was drowning before graduation. 

“Someone could come in here and kill you and you would never know,” a voice said as Charlotte jumped, turning around she saw her brother standing there at the flat door one shoe on and the other off as he spoke to her. The white socks on his feet had holes in them and she just shook her head. 

Looking up she saw that her brother looked like death walking. His usually bright eyes were sunken in, his face was white like a ghost and his entire body screamed that he needed to rest, and she knew by the way he was standing his back was about to give out and that he was going to be in bed for two days unable to move if he didn’t rest. 

“I need to get this done,” she held up the blazer. “Pizza is in the fridge, do you want me to heat it up for you?” 

Louis shook his head, toeing off his other shoe he set his bag down by the door. Pushing his glasses up on his nose he was glad he had brought them with him for his eyes began to burn halfway through his shift at work and he wouldn’t have been able to keep them in without wanting to claw his eyes out. “Ta,” he said slipping off his jean jacket, hanging it up on the hook on the wall it slipped off, “fook it,” he hissed  running his hand through his greasy brown hair, in doing so the hair stood straight up on his head. He knew that he needed to shower tonight. He couldn’t go another day without washing his hair as much as he would like to. 

“You look beat,” Charlotte told her brother as he flicked her off before going to the fridge to grab the cold pizza. “Oi, really?” 

“Story,” Louis said as he ignored his sister complaining as he walked hokey socked through the kitchen.

Charlotte rolled her eyes as she began to pack up her sewing kit that she kept at her brothers. “So I was working on Maggs costume and she was working on homework when there was a knock on the door,” she said shutting the sewing box and walking over to the closet and set it on the shelf. “We thought it was the pizza, logical but when Maggie took of running and I was slightly behind her, I opened up the door and saw a very handsome man standing there.” 

Louis narrowed his eyes at his sister as he took a bite of the pizza wanting her to get on with the story as his body throbbed from the pain and the fact that he was still standing when all he wanted to do was take muscle relaxers and lay down and not get up until need be tomorrow for the zoo. 

Charlotte made a face at her brother for being such a lame ass and continued her story, “he happened to be Maggie’s school teacher,” she told him making her way back over to the table where she grabbed the papers that he had brought over. “He wanted to drop these buy for her since she didn’t get them whilst at school. Have you seen her teacher?” 

“No.” 

“Well he is a fox.” 

Louis rolled his eyes as he stretched his arms over his head, the rest of his scrub shirt un-tucking as he let out a sigh. 

“Anywho,” she said handing him the papers as he walked over to the table and grabbed them, “these are the papers and he seemed nice. And why haven’t you met him? I thought you would have set up a meeting or something with him.” 

“I will get right on that Char,” he said sliding his thick black rimmed glasses up on his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Right after I finish unpacking the flat, after I get the money to finish paying the bills, I now fill these out,” he held the papers over his head as Louis’s voice went from calm to annoyed and then to stressed, a faint quiver as he tried to hold back the tears he had been keeping in the past few weeks. “After I get to Tesco and make sure I have food for my daughter and myself. I need to go and see the doctor about my back for it’s gotten worse the past year, I need to prep the lunch this week for Maggs as well as figure out the dinner place. Add laundry and ironing school uniforms to that list, but” he opened his eyes and looked at his sister, “after that I will make time to walk to school on my day off, get a cuppa with her teacher and talk about the weather.”

Standing up, Charlotte moved towards her brother, she wasn’t upset with him, she saw in his eyes that he was worn out. He had hit E and needed a break from life mentally. Reaching out she wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck and have him a hug. His hands at first fell to the side of her body but she kept hugging him until he embraced her back. She waited to hear as his breath changed, “you know that you aren’t alone in this Lou. You have never been alone in this.” 

Shutting his eyes right Louis felt the tears as he tried to hold them back. His breath hitched as he calmed himself down. “Thanks,” his voice cracked as he spoke. Clearing his throat Louis leaned back and let go of his sister, he smiled, she knew the smile and it was the one that said he was going to be okay. “I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he told her as he kissed her forehead. “You have been nothing but a help to me and I was just - I was a dick.” 

“You are always a dick, so no worries,” she joked giving his arm a punch before walking back to the table to pack up her things. “I’m sorry. I stuck my foot in my mouth as mum would say,” she stopped. “Maggie’s costume is hanging up there, I still need to make a hat but I can whip that up in a few minutes,” she said as she grabbed her leather jacket and slipped it on and slung her bag across her chest. “We still good for Sunday dinner? I can come over and cook if you need to get a few things done around the house.” 

Louis shook his head, “No. I’ve got it all planned out,” he assured her setting the papers on the counter and making his way ff another slice of lukewarm pizza. “You sure you don't want to spend the night? It's late and I don't want you taking a bus back to Uni,” he said almost pleading with his sister as she slipped her black ankle boots on and wrapped the scarf around her neck.

Charlotte rolled her eyes as she grabbed her keys from the bowl by the door. “I know, but I got along fine when you were off saving people in South America, I think I can still do a bang up job,” she stopped as she saw the look in Louis’s eye. “Would it be okay if I took a taxi?” 

“Yes,” he said as he reached into his pocket and handed her some money. “Don’t -” he said before Charlotte could open up her mouth and protest. She rolled her eyes, holding out her hand she took the money, kissed her brother on the cheek and headed out of the flat, her shoes clicking as they walked the wooden steps. Louis waved and as she turned the corner of the steps shut and locked the flat door. Taking his cold pizza he turned off the lights in the kitchen and made his way to the window by the fireplace that overlooked the street. 

He watched as a father would, that his sister got into a roper cabbie and headed back to her fat at Uni. Popping the last piece of crust I to his mouth Louis walked quietly over to his daughter's room, turning off the lights as the flat began to settle in for the evening.

Opening up her door she laid there, her small lamp at the side of her bed on. Her book in her lap at the page that she fell asleep. Walking over he slipped the book from her hands, reaching for the bookmark he slipped it in the pages, closed it and set it on her bedside table. 

“Night my angel,” he whispered, pursing her curls out of her face and kissing her forehead every so gently before his back popped as he stood up. Turning off her light he walked out of her bedroom, turning around he smiled as he looked at the most beautiful daughter in the world. “Bed for the old man now,” he said to himself leaving the door opened a bit as he walked down the short hallway. Turning off the lights as he walked through the kitchen and made his way up the steps to his bedroom. 

Each step was a shooting pain down his back and into his legs. He was going to need trade rooms with Maggie soon if this pain didn't stop. He was getting too old for this shit. Once he reached 40 he was going to need to be in a wheelchair the rate that his back was giving out on him. Once he made it to the top of the steps he didn’t even turn on the light in his room. Walking over to his bed, Louis plugged in his mobile, setting it on his bedside table he then fell face first onto the bed, his feet dangling off the edge, his face pressed down into his pillow as his eyes shut without him even forcing them to. Turning his head to the side he pulled his legs up onto the bed, his body in the fetal position his body relaxed and he was finally able to fall asleep.

 

•••

 

Harry slid his sunglasses up as his nephew Asher tried to pull them off his face as he stood in Harry’s lap. “Now see if you break these mum has to replace them and they are quite expensive,” he explained as Asher smiled and giggled before looking at his mum. Gemma made a face and shook her head. Harry had a hard time thinking that he was his nephew was going to be two in four months.

“Your Uncle Harry is silly if he thinks that will ever happen,” she corrected her son as he laughed again. “So why the hell did you go to the house last night?” 

Harry felt his sigh escape his lips as his eyes rolled behind his sunglasses. Turning Asher around he set his nephew down in his lap as the waiter brought over their drinks. “Ta,” Harry said as he reached out and grabbed the pint as Gemma enjoyed her Pimm’s. “I honestly don’t know Gem. I just - I got in Liam’s car and I just went that way.” 

Gemma shook her head, setting her glass down on the table, “why the bloody hell were you in Liam’s car?” 

“He was assigned a student teacher from some Uni and she has a thing for him,” Harry explained as he bounced Asher on his lap, his legs moving up and down as his boots clicked on the pavement. He and Gemma had taken a seat on the outside patio of the Cafe they had met up at for lunch. The fall was lovely this time around in London and if Harry didn’t have to be inside he wasn’t. His flat smelled of fresh air, and pumpkins, against Liam’s persistent rows about the windows being open Harry seemed to always win. “And she doesn’t understand the word ‘no’ so he came and hid under my desk yesterday after school and then took my car in case she was waiting for him by his.” 

“Lord, it sounds like a terribly written book or film,” laughed Gemma. “Okay, so what happened when you went to a students house?” She asked getting back on track taking a sip of her drink as their waiter walked past to another table with their food. 

“Can you not make me sound like a pedophile,” Harry asked his sister as she stuck her tongue out at her brother. “Um, Magdalena’s Aunt was there with her - Charlotte. She took the papers and I thanked her and left. Simple as that,” explained Harry as the waiter came back with their lunch. He set the burger down in front of Gemma and then set the salad in front of Harry with his side of chips. 

“Thank you,” Gemma said to the waiter, he nodded and left, her eyes were glued on her brother. 

“What?” he asked looking down at his food, knowing full well she had no room to judge on getting salads with a side of chips. She had gotten it from her of all people. 

“Nothing,” Gemma said taking her knife, she cut her burger in half, setting her knife down she picked up one half and took a bite. “I can take Ash if you want two hands,” she offered to Harry who was balanced Asher on his knee and freed his right hand to use his fork and eat. 

Harry shook his head as Asher looked up at his Uncle and poked his chin. “I can tell behind those round sunglasses with a pink tint to the lense that you just gave me the ‘that wasn’t all’ look. It was. I am still being driven mad about the unknown but I need to learn to live with it,” Harry told his sister as he popped a few chips into his mouth. “And before you ask the second famous questions not for your sake but for mum and dad, no, I’m not seeing anyone.” 

Gemma’s mouth dropped as she cocked her head and looked at her brother. 

“That always comes next. I know that you know my lack of love life, and mum wants the best for me. I am still single. Work is good and no I haven’t been having one night stands either.” 

“Mum worries,” she told him as Asher leaned over and was looking down at the bird that was on the pavement look for food. “I know that you are going to give me your bloody speech about how it’s been two years and that you are fine and we don’t need to worry and all that crap that you say. But how are you actually?” 

“I am good. I promise,” Harry told her as he set Asher in his highchair so he would be able to eat. “I have been seeing a therapist for it the past seven months, so I can promise you that I am okay and if I wasn't I would tell you.” 

Gemma removed her glasses and looked at her baby brother. Reaching her hand over she grabbed Harry’s and gave it a squeeze. “I’m proud of you Harry. What you went through with your last relationship is something I never wanted for you. I will tell mum that you are good and if you aren’t you will let us know.” 

“Thanks,” he said squeezing her hand back before he let it go and went back to enjoying his salad. “Any plans for their wedding anniversary?” 

Gemma shook her head, slipping her sunglasses back on and trying to find the best way to dig into the burger. “No, but I’m sure that between us we will think of something. I know that everyone who is on the guest lists knows the date that Mum picked out last year practically,” she laughed as her lilac hair blew across her face. “Should I keep the lilac hair or go back to my brown?” she asked. “The in laws hate it,” she said with a wicked smile. “She said I wasn’t 18 and needed to act like a mother. So Seb told me to keep it for he liked it.” 

“I mean you have done that pink hair, and the stirps, and well just about anything you could imagine.” 

“I was going to wait for the roots to show a bit more before going back and getting it back brunette,” she admitted to him. “I know that when I have to sign Ash up for school that they won’t want a women with purple hair coming in and I want to make sure that he is in a good school.” 

Harry loved his older sister. Ever since he could remember she had always dressed the way she liked ignoring the fashion and what was ‘in’ and what was ‘out’. She had colored, cut and styled her hair to how she felt and one day she could be a brunette and Harry would come home from Uni for a weekend and her hair was in a short bob and had blonde tips. While now she had lilac hair on her head she had done it on a whim when she was on Holiday with her friends and when she came home Harry was sure that Sebastian was even more in love with her. But, Harry also knew what it was like being judged by looks. When he left Uni he had long hair and while he was serious about becoming a teacher and was free of any drug use whenever he walked in someplace they assumed that he was a hippie who was always stoned. “Sadly that is true,” he told her as he stabbed his fork into the lettuce, chicken in his salad.  

“So,” Gemma said as she looked up from her food. “I think that Sebastian and I are going to try for another baby.” 

Harry’s lips curved into a smile. 

“Asher is two and we wanted to have a family of four and didn’t want our kids to be a zillion years apart,” she explained to Harry picking up a chip and taking a bite of it. “I don’t want to tell mum and dad for you know how it wasn’t easy for us to have Asher.” 

Harry nodded. 

“So, we are going to the doctors next week to see if it’s possible, and what the complications will be and then we will proceed from there,” she went on to explain to him. Harry reached across the table and took his sister’s hand. 

“It will work out Gem. You and Sebastian will have another beautiful baby and I will get to spoil both of them their entire lives and that makes me happy.” 

Gemma smiled, clearing her throat as she didn’t want to cry at the kind words from her brother. “You will find someone,” she assured him as Harry went back to eating his salad. “So just don’t say anything to mum or dad until I do. I just want to make sure that we get past the first trimester before we tell  _ anyone _ .” 

“Except me.” 

Gemma rolled her eyes. “Yeah, except you for you just know. You can see a woman and tell if she is pregnant or not.” 

“It’s a talent,” he smiled as Asher reached over and grabbed a chip from Harry’s plate. 

“It’s creepy.” 

“You are just jealous.” 

“You are delusional,” laughed Gemma. “But I think I have a solution to your problem of meeting Magdalena’s parents that won’t get you fired or sent to jail for being a pedo,” she told her little brother with an arched brow. Harry wasn’t sure if he should be worried or excited.

 

•••

 

Adjusting the shopping bag on his shoulder Harry shut the boot of his car and headed to the front door of his flat. He should have known that after lunch he and Gemma would end up shopping. While Harry can go shopping by himself and he can look and buy a few things, whenever he went shopping with his sister he ended up with several new items, something new for his flat and then something for Liam as well. Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out the flat key. He was able to shove the key into the lock and keep the packages balanced on his arm before he kicked the door open with his foot and walked in. “Liam I’m home please be decent!” he called out as the door shut behind him and he stood in the entry way. 

“You think that little of me?” Liam asked as he walked from the kitchen to the entry way in his boxers. His hair wet from a shower he had recently taken he would assume. 

Harry cocked his head as he dropped the bags on the ground and took off his sunglasses. “Yes.” 

“Fair enough,” he laughed and made his way back into the kitchen. “Jo is coming over later to get away from her sister who is in town,” Liam explained to Harry as he unzipped his boots and set them on the shoe rack, he hung up his jacket before scooping up the bags and making his way into the kitchen to set them on the table and try and organize what he purchased. 

“Is she staying with her again?” 

“Oh yes, her and her boyfriend. So she locked up her valuables and is going to spend the night and tell her sister that she is going out.” 

“When in fact you will sit in track pants and finish watching  _ The Newsroom  _ eating Thai food and drinking beer.” 

Liam smiled, “it’s like you know us so well,” he stacked the pans as his eyes looked at the bags. “How was shopping with Gemma?” 

“Good, I got stuff that I actually needed. A few new shirts and trousers for school. A new blazer,” he said looking through the bags. “Socks, a tie for the holidays coming up and then a new diary and then Gemma got me this billfold,” Harry said as he held up the new brown leather billfold. “And then I got stuff for Asher.” 

“When don’t you get something for Asher?” 

Harry pushed his lips together and narrowed his eyes at Liam trying his best to look angry at him but Liam just smiled and made his way in his boxers to his bedroom. “Don’t walk away from me Payne!” He yelled knowing that at this point it was pointless but he could try to still seem intimidating. 

“Stop me Styles,” he sang out with a laugh before she shut his bedroom door. 

Harry gathered up his new clothes and made his own way into his bedroom, setting the bags on his bed he hung up the shirts he got as well as the work trousers. Folding the bags up he set them on the desk in his room while he started up his laptop. He needed to get some papers graded since he had spent longer with Gem than he had expected which he was okay with. Pulling his papers from his bag he pulled out the maths worksheets that the kids had turned in that day. 

As soon as his computer loaded he pulled up his email and grabbed the red pen from the holder on his desk he started up his Spotify playlist and went to work grading the papers. He had kept Maggie’s to the side for she had been playing catch up with the class and he was taking that into account. 

Harry didn’t mind grading the papers, that wasn’t the worst part of his job, honestly when he got into the zone it was just a rhythm and he would be able to get them done in a decent time. The idea that his sister had placed in his about how to meet Maggie’s parent or parents still rattled around in his head. It made sense, it wouldn’t seem weird or out of place if he did email him. He just didn’t want him to get freaked out since he had stopped by his house yesterday. 

“Sod it,” he said pushing the maths papers aside as he pulled up his school email. Pulling up a new message he looked in his planner and found the email that was given for Maggie. The worst thing could happen is he tells him no and then he gets drops it. That is when he would drop it. He had to at that point. 

> __ Mr. Tomlinson,   
>  __ I am sorry that I haven’t reached out sooner since your daughter was placed in my class. It had been on a to do list that seemed to be misplaced or the act of emailing kept being moved farther and farther down the list till it seemed to be lost forever. I wanted to reach out and tell you that I am very excited to have your daughter in my class, Magdalena has been a brilliant addition and her spirit is unmatched by any of her classmates. She has an eagerness to learn as much as she can.  
>   
>  __ I do hope that I don’t seem to forward, but I would very much enjoy to have a sit down with you, so we can discuss the upcoming curriculum and I can get a feel for where she is coming from, and you will be able to see where we are going and can follow with her as she learns this year. Parent Teacher conferences were last week and I don’t want you to feel that you missed out.  
>   
>  __ My mornings before school, and after are pretty much open, so whatever will work best for your schedule with work and with Magdalena’s I will work around. I hope that you had an excellent time at the zoo, and I look forward to hearing back from you and meeting you.  
>   
>  _ Thank You  
>  _ __ H. Styles

 

His eyes read over to make sure that he sounded professional as well all his grammar was on point before he scrolled up and hit ‘send.’ He felt a weight off his chest as he did so, closing out of the email he set his laptop to the side and went back to grading the maths papers.

 

•••

 

Louis let go of his daughter's hand as she ran over to the glass to look at the Polar Bears. Her nose pushed up to the glass as she watched them play around and swim in the water. He stood there as he watched her brown curls bounce up and down as her and James began to talk to the Polar Bears. It was moments like this that Louis loved to just stand and watch his daughter, she had the imagination like no one he had ever met. He had been woken up by Maggie today with wide eyes and a smile, already dressed at 8:14 am and ready to go to the zoo. 

“Dad look!” Maggie said turning around and waving her father over. Louis listened and walked over to his daughter, kneeling down he pressed his nose up to the glass and watched the bears as they did flips and showed off for all of those who were watching them. “They look so fluffy,” she said as Louis turned to watch her eyes widen as she studied the creatures. 

After a few moments of looking James grabbed his friend by the hand and they walked, always keeping in sight of their parents, and went to go look at the next animal that they could find. Louis was glad that Maggie had James to help her get re-acquainted with living back in London and someone at school that she could turn to if she needed. While he knew that she hadn’t made many friends he hoped that come the next few weeks she would feel more confident and branch out to meet kids. 

“How does it feel to be back home?” Areyna asked Louis as they stopped to look at the penguins. 

“It’s good. Weird but good,” Louis told them as he put his hands in his green jacket and they walked. “It’s weird knowing that I can’t call my mum or dad but it’s good that Charlie is close by for both my sake and Maggie’s,” he explained as they walked Louis skinny jeans exposing the small triangle tattoo on his ankle. “Thank you both for everything with the job, to the school recommendation to helping with Maggie. It means,” Louis stopped as he cleared his throat. “It means the world to me.

“We are family,” Areyna said as she wrapped her arm around Louis’s shoulder. Niall joined in and tapped his hip with Louis’s. “Maggie seems happy.” 

“Yeah,” Louis said faintly as he watched his daughter. He had noticed that since moving back to London she had dropped several pounds which worried him. He also realized that she didn’t want to try and socialize with other students, which was out of character for her. She was always the one to bring home a friend to play with wherever they lived. Even if they didn’t speak the same language she seemed to understand them, and them her. Louis knew that she needed to see a doctor but he also didn’t want to questions at work why he was bringing his daughter in to be looked at. For on the outside she was a normal eight year old but Louis knew that there was something else going on but he wasn’t sure how to address it with her. The three of them walked as the kids looked and then moved on to the next exhibit.  

Areyna caught up with the kids and walked with them, as they explained to her all about the animals they were looking at. Louis watched Maggie and wished that Carly was around to see her happy, and enjoying life. Little things he knew she would have taken great joy in seeing their daughter's reaction to or hearing the wild stories she made up in her mind and spoke to Louis about. 

“I know you haven’t had much time to do a lads night,” Niall told him as Louis nodded, “but I was thinking next Thursday, we are both off early. We can hit up a pub, watch a footie match that is on and you can be Louis.

“I am Louis,” he assured him. 

“I know mate,” Niall said elbowing him. “But, Maggie will love you if you take a few hours for yourself. It’s healthy.” 

Louis nodded. Niall had a point, he just wasn’t sure if he could take a few moments for himself without feeling guilty or gutted about doing so. “Okay, Lads night. Want to invite Trevor? I saw that he was back in town from his stint in Germany.” 

“I was going to get Trevor and then Raul.” 

“Sounds like I will end up drunk,” laughed Louis as they walked, stopping now at the otters. 

“Another thing that will be good,” Niall said to him as Louis knew where it was going but he was going to flatter Niall and wait for him to say it. “Dating, dating is good to have time for yourself.” 

Louis let a snort escaped his nose as he looked over at Niall. 

“What?” 

“With what time?” he asked him as he shook his head and rolled his eyes behind his glasses. “I don’t mean it in a bad way. I mean - I want to focus on Maggie and this job and”- 

“So no. A lot of bull to tell me no,” Niall explained to him as they stopped at the Sea Lions. “It is okay to have a relationship. Fuck, you can have a hookup for all I care,” Niall turned and looked at Louis, placing his hands on his shoulders he looked at his mate. “You need to, if not for you for me.” 

Niall was something else, Louis just looked at his friend as if he was crazy. Louis knew that Niall meant well, he just wanted the best for him but sometimes when he spoke he just wanted to slap him on the upside of his head. It’s not that he hadn’t wanted to start a new relationship. He just didn’t know how to. Maggie came first and he knew that most of the pool of candidates for his age either don’t want kids or have them and want to be with someone who was single so not to add more people to a family unit only to get the kids upset when one party leaves. 

“I had a hook up once,” he told him and Niall stopped, his eyes grew wide as if he had just seen a unicorn or a dragon. 

“Going to get a water,” He told his wife as he pulled Louis over to the nearest exit. Pushing the doors open they stood outside where not so many little ears were around to listen to the conversation they were about to have. “Why the fuck did you not tell me this before? When! Spill now!” 

“You are acting like a prepubescent child,” Louis told him pulling his hand away from Niall’s Hulk like grip. Shaking his hand to loosen up his wrist he looked at his friend. “It was when Charlie was living in Chicago doing a term abroad. I was in the city for some classes for work and other things when I met someone and it was great. We even were able to get to their hotel room but once I told them about Maggie they didn’t want to feel tied down.” 

“Was that before or after.” 

Louis shook his head at his daft friend. “After the first go around but before the second.” 

“You still got it mate,” Niall said patting him on the back. 

“I have an eight year old Niall. I don’t have it.” 

“There is someone out there for you Lou, you know it, I know it, hell the universe knows it and when you meet them. BAM!” He said as he clapped his hands together. “It will just happen.” 

“You need to stop watching the Romantic film section on Netflix,” Louis said to him with a shake of his head. Yes he had thought about finding someone. Most of the time he missed the feeling of waking up with someone’s arms wrapped around him. To have those groggy morning kisses. Eating breakfast in silence as they read the paper or checked the news on their mobiles. Watching Maggie grow up to the amazing, strong, intelligent and independent woman. “I will one day but for now,” he said as they walked back over to James and Maggie, “for now my heart belongs to my daughter.” 

Niall placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He knew Louis and he knew that he was still trying to get his life back together and before he did anything in the way or a relationship he was going to make sure that his daughter was taken care of. Catching up with Aryena and the kids they finished the exhibit. Maggie begged her father to go on the carousal one time before they left. Giving in he said yes, he paid the small fee as Maggie and James made their way and climbed onto the animal and waited for the ride to begin. Louis pulled out his phone and captured a few photos of his daughter, she waved for the first one, and then in true Tomlinson fashion she made a silly face as Louis made one back at his daughter. She tilted her head back and laughed at her father. 

“I texted Charlie and asked if she could make a costume for James for Halloween this year,” Areyna said as James waved to his mum and his laugh, that was loud like his father’s filled the air. “I was thinking Maggie and James could go together and then if she wanted to spend the night she can.” 

Louis nodded. He hadn’t even thought about Halloween and how close it was approaching at the end of the month. “Sure, I’m sure that she will like that a lot in fact. I can then have an early night and have my body attempt to catch up on sleep I’ve been lacking the past several years,” he laughed. “She asked me today if we could go and visit Carly and her grandparents,” Louis said his eyes on his daughter but when he spoke his voice was quiet. “I didn’t know what to say, but I can’t go there now,” his words seemed strained as he spoke. “Am I bad father? Am I being too selfish?” 

Niall looked at his wife as he wrapped his arm around Louis’s shoulder, “don’t ever think that for one second,” Niall assured him as the carousel began to slow down. 

“She loves you Lou,” Areyna said jumping in as she took her eyes off her son and looked at her friend. “Both of you just need time adjust. You have been living a life that is far different than a normal one the past few years and while you adjust she also is doing the same and it might look different and it will be a different process than yours. Just be there for her, be open and talk with her beyond the simple ‘are you okay’,” she explained to him as the kids got off their animals they we ridding and headed over to where their parents stood. 

Maggie smiled as she walked up to her father and took his hand as they made their way back to the front of the zoo. “Thank you for today,” she told him as he bumped into her as her jacket moved as her body swayed to the side. Her cheeks were flushed from the wind but she had the sparkle in her eyes that she had when she was younger. A sparkle that Louis had missed in his daughter’s eyes. When they reached the front of the zoo Maggie gave James a hug and they did their secret handshake as Louis embraced Niall and Areyna, thanking them for today and letting him vent a bit here and there. 

“Bye!” Maggie called out as Niall hailed a taxi and they headed to catch the tube back home. As they walked Maggie’s vans fell in step with her father’s. She had been happy to not be in her uniform today and she was able to wear her black skinny jeans and over-sized jean shirt that she had on under her wine color lightweight pea coat. “Can we relax when we get home?” she asked her father as they headed down to the tube station. Louis grabbed there oyster card and they both walked through the turnstiles and headed towards their train in the semi loud station. 

“Take aways and then a movie?” Suggested Louis as they got to their platform and stood with the several other commuters for their train to arrive. “My feet feel as if they are on fire,” he admitted looking down at his new pair of Chuck Taylors he was wearing. “I should have broken these puppies in sooner,” he told himself shaking his head. “What do you want for dinner?” 

Maggie shrugged covering her mouth with a yawn. 

As the train pulled in Louis took his daughter's hand, it came to a stop as the doors opened a handful of riders came out and they walked in. Finding a seat Louis sat down and Maggie took her place next to him. Maggie pulled her feet under her and leaned against her father. Her eyes growing heavy and closed as the train jerked forward and they went on their way homeward bound. Pushing his daughter’s hair back out of her face as he counted the stops till they were at theirs. 

_ Maybe Thai food. Or Chinese. Chinese will be good, have leftovers for tomorrow.  _ He thought to himself as he watched the passengers come and go. 

“Darling, our stop is now,” Louis whispered to her as she moved a bit, rubbing her eyes she looked up at her father and stood up. Louis got up, and taking her hand they stood, as the train slowed down. “We are almost home, and then you can nap.” 

“Thanks,” she said quietly rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the train came to a stop, the doors opened and Louis and Maggie made their way across the platform and towards the steps to make it to the surface level. Once they emerged, Maggie took her father’s hand and they walked the two blocks to the flat. Her feet were tired and she lagged, but Louis kept pace with her. Turning down there street Maggie had a bit more pep in her step, reaching the flat she was the first one to open up the gate and walking to the front door. Louis made it to the front door, unlocking the door he pushed it open as Maggie walked under his arm and headed on up the steps. Locking the door, he checked the post box, grabbing the few things that were sent to him, Louis headed on up the stairs following his daughter’s lead. 

Turning the corner, he was almost to the landing and he could see the door leading to there flat open. Holding onto the railing Louis knew he was going to need to take some pain meds as much as he didn’t want to, it was going to be needed from all this walk and so his back didn’t snap in half when he sat down. Once he reached the landing his shoes walked across the carpet to the hardwood, reaching behind him Louis pulled the door shut as his daughter was passed out on the couch. 

He wanted to snap a photo, but he needed to get a few things done and he had some silent time as of now. He had decided that he would wake Maggie up in an hour and get dinner. He didn’t want her sleep tonight to be messed up, but he also wanted her to get a nice nap in. Bending over he untied his shoes and set them with all this other ones. Moving his neck from side to side it cracked as he walked, lama socked feet over to his bag and pulled out his laptop.    
  


> _ Mr. Styles,  
>  _ _ I want to thank you for all your hard work with helping Maggs get caught up. She loves being in your classroom and thank you as well for allowing her to spend lunch with you. I hope that she will feel more comfortable to eat with her classmates. I get done with my shift at the Hospital around 3 on Wednesday and I can meet with you if that works. I also would like to thank you for delivering those papers for me to fill out. I feel like I have been filling out papers to give my life away for the school. I hope that you have a relaxing rest of your weekend.   
>  _ _ Louis Tomlinson.  _


	3. When Harry met Louis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being patient with me and the updates. Life has been a bit mental this past week with work and other outside circumstances but nothing says happy Tuesday like editing a chapter via my phone from my bed in order to get coffee - yes coffee is my reward for getting this chapter up and posted. 
> 
> Thank you for all the amazing comments and kudos and bookmarks! 
> 
> XO  
> Violet

“Fook!” Louis hissed as he drove through London traffic. Or attempted to drive through, at the moment he sat in his car at a standstill from the Hospital to the school. He had tried his best to get out on time but of course just as he was about to leave there was an emergency and the doctor on call, a new one none the less, pulled him in to help with the man who ‘fell on a staple gun’ and needed them removed and to stop the bleeding in his leg and arse. So now running late. Louis hated running late. He wanted to make a good impression on Maggie’s teacher, but he also didn’t want these imaginary people he felt were watching him at all times, judging him as a parent, he wanted to make sure that they had nothing to complain about. He wanted to do right by Maggie and as of now he was fucking it all up.

Or traffic was.

 _Fooking traffic_.

Seeing a break in traffic Louis didn’t even turn on his directional on his car before he moved over into the left lane that was moving faster. By faster he was going 4 instead of 0. “Fook, fook, fook, fook,” he hissed again as he hit the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. “Jesus Louis calm the fook down,” he said to himself shaking his hand as it throbbed from hitting it so hard. “Praise,” he said this time using his directionals to move over one more lane and turned on a road where he was now free of the dreadful traffic.

“Are you fooking serious!” He yelled over the music as the car in front of him was going about 10 down the street. “Can you please just bloody move!” He hissed at the car in front of him. Speeding up a bit hoping that riding the cars bumper that he would want to drive faster but he stayed the same speed. Lifting his left hand off the steering wheel he gave the two finger salute to the car in front of him. “Sod this,” he said taking a detour by turning on the first street he saw. Pressing his foot on the gas he picked up speed and tried his best to get to the school without being terribly late.

As he drove he began to prep his apology speech for Mr. Styles.

I am so sorry that I am late. I was stuck in traffic and a patient ran late at the surgery. I am sorry that this looks so bad on my daughter, and I’m sorry that I kept you longer than you wanted to at school.

Huffing, Louis turned the corner and he could see the school. His eyes glanced at the clock and he was only fifteen minutes late. God he dropped the ball today as a father. The car drove down the street and Louis felt as if it wasn’t moving at all even though he was going 10 over the speed limit at this point. His left hand pressed down on the turn signal as he pulled into the left turn into the schol. “To slow,” he said as he turned quickly in front of the car that was driving towards him. His car tires hit the car park at the school and he pulled around to the side where all the cars were parked. Whipping the car around he pulled in the first spot he saw.

“Okay, let’s go,” he said to himself turning the car off and got out of the car. Running across the carpark he locked the door behind him as he headed around the side to door 10 where Harry’s classroom was. He had been told to go there so he wouldn’t have to worry about if someone was in the office or not. “7…. 9… where the fook is 10?” he hissed as he could feel his lungs hurt from running and he looked around franticly. “Fook. Fook. Fook.” he hissed as he stopped, placing his hands on his hips he took a deep breath in, “10,” he said as he took another few deep breaths in and headed to door 10. He saw his daughter in the back of the classroom doing something with a tall thin man.

“Okay, take a deep breath,” he said to himself as his shoes walked up to the door and knocked on the glassdoor. Inside he saw his daughter’s head whip around and she came running towards the door. Standing to the side the door swung open as Maggie jumped up into her father’s arms and Louis bent down and picked her up swinging her around as her skirt and legs swung from side to side. “Sorry I’m late,” he said to her as she squished his face.

“Come on in!” she told him as she wiggled and Louis set her down, her school shoes clicked on the tile as she took her father’s hand and walked him into the classroom. “So this is where I learn, we have the tables back there,” she said pointing to them, “where we can color when we need to take a break and my cubbie is here,” she said as Louis followed his daughter over to where her jacket hung and her rucksack. “And this is Mr. Harry,” she said as Louis turned around and saw the tall man closer up.

He had to do a double take for he wasn’t sure what he was expecting but not a younger man, dressed like he walked out of a Coach add. “Louis,” he said holding out his hand as the younger man took it and gave it a shake. “I’m bloody sorry I’m late the traffic was terrible and I was with a patient who ran over for they were convinced they were dying when all they had was an ear infection,” explained Louis as Mr. Styles smiled at him.

“It’s alright,” he said his voice deeper than he though, “Magdalena helped me clean up and get a few things put away that we didn’t get to at the end of the day,” he explained to him. “I see that she gave you a tour.”

“Yes,” Louis said as he looked down at his daughter. Turning towards her, he knelt down he tapped her nose as she scrunched up her face. “Why don’t you get your jacket on and play out on the swings while Mr. Harry and I talk? It will be terribly boring and then you can decide what we should have for dinner tonight.”

Maggie nodded, “do you have my sonic?”

Louis stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out his daughter’s sonic screwdriver. She took it from him, giving him a kiss she ran to the back of the room as she slipped on her jacket she headed out the door and to the playground and Louis took turned Harry. “I’m sorry that I’m late again,” he said to Harry. “I hate being late, and I am sorry that you had to wait even longer.”

“It’s okay Mr. Tomlinson, your daughter is a delight to talk to so the time passed quickly,” he said as he walked over towards his desk. His pointy shoes moving over the tile floor as Louis stood and watched his daughter who let her imagination take over and she went into her own world out there.

“Louis,” he said turning and walked over towards Harry as he passed his daughter’s desk. “My father was Mr. Tomlinson and I don’t think I’m old nor mature enough to be called that,” he joked with him as he walked down past his daughter’s desk and saw that it was the cleanest of the students and that didn’t surprise him at all.

“We can have a seat back here,” Harry said as he motioned to the back table. “Would you like a cuppa?”

“Yes,” Louis said almost pleading with him for he needed a bit of a pick me up. Harry set the fold on the table as he walked over to the kettle, pressing it on, he grabbed two clean mugs and pulled the tea from a container and the milk from the little fridge he kept in the back for his fridge and water. “A nice cuppa always is good after a long day of work - I am also sorry I’m still in scrubs. I had clothes to change to,” he said as he kept talking. “This is also my first teacher confrence in a few years so I’m sorry if I ask stupid questions.”

“I would say the ‘there is no such thing as a stupid question but there are,” Harry told him as he set the tea bag in the mugs. “But I will just act like there isn’t and then make fun of them to my mate when I get home.”

Louis felt a smile and laughed at Harry’s wit. “Fair enough,” he said pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “We do that at the A&E. When people come in and have self diagnosed from the internet…. I don’t know how many times a sore throat has lead to a kidney infection.

Harry felt a flutter in his chest and a giggle escaped his lips as Louis spoke to him. Clearing his throat he grabbed the milk from the fridge and sugar from the container. “Milk and sugar?”

“Milk, no sugar,” he told him as he looked around the classroom. “If I was in a room with all these windows I would have been fully distracted by the going on outside and not all caring about my studies,” Louis explained as he saw the artwork from the kids hung on the string that was in the wall, his eyes looked over and saw many of these pictures were happy kids with families and then he saw his daughters, she was dressed at The Doctor and Louis was her companion and they were in the Tardis and flying over the world. “What was the assignment for these?” Louis asked pointing up to the pictures.

Harry grabbed the kettle and poured the water into mugs as the tea bags steeped. “I catch myself daydreaming sometimes when the students are taking tests or reading silently,” Harry confessed to him as he walked over to the table. “The pictures were how they saw their family,” Harry said setting the tea in front of Louis, before he took the spoon and took the tea bag out and set it on the plate in his hand. “She didn’t get marked down for her creativity,” he assured Louis as his hands too the mug, and he brought it up to his lips and took a sip,

“She has a creative mind,” Louis said as he looked up at her photo, “but I’m sure that is the best way to describe our family minus the dog. My sister is going to get it for putting the idea of a damn dog in my daughter's mind,” he said shaking his head. “And she would be The Doctor,” he laughed taking another sip. “This is a bloody good cuppa, honestly the best that I’ve had ever.”

“Ta,” Harry said as he tossed the plate and walked over to the table and took a seat across from Louis. “I worked at a tea and coffee house in Uni to make some extra money.”

“It did you good,” Louis said as he held up his mug. “Sorry, we should talk about Maggs and not about tea.”

Harry shook his head and nervously ran his hand through his hair as a small strand fell in his face. “Thank you for meeting with me,” he told him as he opened up the folder. “I know that you are busy from what Magdalena tells me.”

Nodding he couldn’t denied that he was busy. “But it’s for Maggs so I will do whatever I can.”

Harry had to control himself from reaching over and kissing the man for his love for his daughter and her education. “So, a bit about me, I went to Uni for teaching and journalism. I’ve been at this school for five years and I have loved each and every one of them.”

“I have no doubt in your ability to teach my daughter,” assured Louis as he moved in the chair as his back hurt. “She loves it here, she loves you and talks about you all the time at home. I’m glad that she has taken to the classroom setting,” Louis said as he saw Harry’s face contort., “in a way.”   
  
“We can talk about that in a bit,” he said as he pulled out a few pieces of homework that she had done, “Magdalena is - well she is brilliant,” he said to him as Louis stretched out his hand and pulled the papers closer to him. He had read over them once she had finished and saw that she had gotten the best marks on them. “I don’t mean brilliant like people say, she is actually brilliant to the point of moving up a grade due to her scores in some of the course work.”

Louis didn’t even know what to say to that.

“She jumped right into the course work and picked up on most of what I have been teaching,” Harry explained to him as he handed over a few worksheets from Science, Social Studies, Reading, even in French.”

Louis looked at the papers and saw they were all top marks. “She picks up languages quickly, she learned Spanish fairly quickly as well, though it was just certain words to get by,” explained Louis as he turned his attention to Maggie who ran past the windows as she was chasing a Dalek, or being chased by one. He couldn’t tell what it was at this distance. “She has always been one to stay to herself. I guess that comes with being an only child and all,” he said to Harry as he looked back down at the papers.

Harry agreed as he handed over a writing assignment to him, “We had an in class writing assignment to write a small short story. Her story was so well written as well as throughout. She has an amazing imagination, which to be frank,” he said as he took a sip of his tea, “is lacking in most kids.”

“That is Maggs.”

Harry’s heart fluttered as he watched at how happy that Louis was and proud he was of his daughter. All he did was speak of her in a positive way and he took an interest in her life at school, which was more than most parents. There was something… something about Louis that confused Harry in a good way. He listened to Harry, and when he showed him Maggie’s papers he took time to look at them, to care about what they said. To care about what he had to say. He saw where she got her big heart from, in the short time he met Louis he was captivated about how big his heart was for those around him. She also looked just like him minus the curly hair which he assumed came from her mother. Most parents come in, they listen, smile politely and nodded there head and leave thinking that their child was god's gift to his classroom when they weren’t.

Harry moved a few papers around as he grabbed out a packet and then handed one over to Louis, “so I’ve noticed that Magdalena is a bookworm,” he stated a fact. “So I gave her a book to read,”

“Yes, she brought it home and sat there the entire night reading, I had to take it away for her to actually eat her dinner,” Louis told him, “I should be mad but she said it was homework.”

Nodding he smiled from the side of his mouth, “It was, but it was for me to gauge her reading level and she is about three grades higher than she is now,” he explained to Louis whose blue green eyes grew wide and his mouth opened up a bit. “I know it seems like a lot but it’s a good thing, and yet a bad thing,” he admitted to him. “I fear that she is going to get bored and that is the last thing I want to make her active imaginative mind bored.”

Louis nodded as he followed along with what Harry was telling him.

“I have been talking with a teacher and want to partner up with her to make a reading list for Magdalena to read. It will be along the lines of the same themes as the kids in her class will read so that way when she turns in her papers, and worksheets they will match up, but she will just have to do more independent reading than before. Her and I can have discussions or she can partner up with the teacher and have discussions with classmates on her reading level,” Harry told him as he showed Louis the new reading list for her. “You can approve the books since some of them are a bit heavier than the ones we read.”

Louis looked at the list and saw that they had read a few of these a summer ago.

“If you are against this idea then we can just proc-”

Louis shook his head, “no, this will be good. I don’t want her to be bored. I want the challenge for her and if the books are to hard can she go back and read the book the class is reading?”

“Oh course,” Harry told him as Louis took the list and looked it over again. “I want her mind to grow and I fear that these books will just keep her where she is.”

“Thank you for this,” Louis said holding up the list. “This is above what you needed to, so thank you.”

Harry felt odd, he never got thanked at these things, “sorry. I’m use to be yelled at,” he explained to Louis running his hand through his hair again and his eyes locked with Louis. “It’s a nice change to be honest.”

“Why-” Louis held up his hand, “nevermind I deal with humanity all day I understand why,” laughing he set the list of books he needed to get to the side of the table. “I know we haven’t talked about a subject that I know for a fact isn’t the best of marks.”

“Maths.”

Louis knew before Harry even said that. He wasn’t the best at Maths, Carly wasn’t the best at Maths either. “Is it bad bad? Or something I can work on with her and we can improve?”

“Both,” Harry told as he handed over a few worksheets. “She gets in whilst in class,” he explained showing him the worksheet they did in class and she had good marks and then he slid over a test, “but when it comes to the test she blanks. I’m not sure if it’s she still needs a few more days before she takes her test.”

Louis nodded his head, “I know that she tries, we work at night and I help as much as I can. I’m rubbish at Maths, like even reading the book my mind still can’t comprehend it at times,” he laughed as he looked down at the papers and his fingers tapped the table. “Is there a tutor we can go to? I don’t want her to fall behind.”

“I don’t either,” Harry added, “I have names of a few tutors outside of the school,” Harry told him, “or I can work with her onces a week after school and see where she is struggling if that is okay with you?”

“Yes, I can do whatever day is the best for you - this is, thank you,” Louis said to him his voice calm as he looked at Harry and wanted to hug him. “I was worried when she came to school,” Louis explained to him as he felt a lump in his throat, “I wasn’t sure how the teacher would be to help her and work with her being new and coming from a non traditional school.” Clearing his throat he took a deep breath in, “sorry, about this,” he said as he motioned to his face as he knew it was blotchy from trying not to cry.

Standing up Harry grabbed the box of tissues and handed them to Louis and he took a few.

“I am here to work with you,” Harry told him, “I want all of my students to succeed and no matter what that takes I will work with you, Magdalena and with the school,” Harry told him as he sat back down across from Louis. He had to fight the urge to hug him, and comfort him. “Would Wednesdays work? I can work with her for like an hour, or so?”

Swallowing Louis nodded as he pushed his glasses up onto his head he took his fingers and wiped the tears that had escaped from his otherwise stoic face. “Works for me and will give me time to get from work to here.” Harry was happy with that answer, and he was happy that he would be able to see Louis once a week - which it was more important to help Maggie but deep down he was glad to see Louis.

Harry had nothing else to say, he took his cuppa and leaned back into his chair, “is there anything else you would like to discuss? I know that I talked your ear off for most of this but I want to open the floor to you and if you had any concerns or questions about me, or the classroom or anything at all when it comes to the school or what not.”

Louis wasn’t sure how to approach the subject about his daughter. Removing his glasses he slid them back onto his face as he adjusted himself in his seat. His heart hurt with the fear he had with what Harry was going to say to him. He didn’t want fears of his daughter being reserved and not the Maggie he knew. “How is Maggie with the students?” he added figuring how to work it properly and then he added, “with students that aren’t James.”

Harry bit the inside of his bottom lip, “she socializes if she is put in a group and if she needs to,” admitted Harry. “She normally keeps to herself and while I know that most of the time she knows the answers to things she doesn’t raise her hand until the last minute. I’m not sure if she doesn’t want the attention or what but I would encourage her to trust her instincts when it comes to answering questions.”

Fook, Louis thought and he was sure that his face showed that he was upset more with himself throwing his daughter into a school if she wasn’t ready for this. For the entire change in her life yet again he forced on her without asking her or discussing it with her. He just assumed, and poorly that this is what she wanted when in fact maybe it wasn’t.

“Part of me thinks that she is just trying to get use to the classroom and the students, which I respect. I am the same way in new situations.”

“Which worries me since that isn’t her,” Louis explained to him as he turned and watched as Maggie was on the swing, standing on it she moved her body back and forth to make it move as she was talking and or singing. Louis couldn’t tell from this distance. “She is normally the one who makes friends, and is the social butterfly.” Louis explained to Harry and he could see the the look that confirmed what he was worried about. “Fook...” he hissed running his hands through his hair and closing his eyes. “Shit, sorry. Sorry, I didn’t mean to curse,” he said quickly as he realized what he had said.

Harry took a deep breath in, he didn’t like that Louis was so distraught, he could see the look and he knew that he was blaming himself for the reason his daughter seemed to be reserved and unlike herself. “She will come out of it,” Harry told him as he reached over and laid a comforting hand on Louis’s. He wasn’t sure why but he did and he was even more shocked that Louis didn’t pull away when he did so. “Is there anything that happened to make her personality alter so much?”

Louis didn’t know where to start. Just thinking about talking about the past few years his throat seemed to close up and he could feel the tears coming again. Why was he so emotional? He wanted to slap himself to snap out of it, but that was who he was. Taking another deep breath in he composed his thoughts, to tell Harry about what had happened the past several years in their lives. It wasn’t that he didn’t talk about it, he would just finds ways to talk around the subject, or talk about the parts of the topic involving Carly and his mum and dad. “When Maggie was five her mother, Carly, passed away from cancer,” he began taking the baby steps to get to the bigger picture. Louis watched as Harry’s face dropped not sure what to say or react. “No need to say sorry, I know that's a reaction people have when they hear the horrible C word,” Louis said as he went on, “three months later my parents passed away in a head on car crash from a drunk driver.”

Harry felt his breath hitch as he had to remind himself to breath. Never in his wildest dreams would have known that Magalena would have experienced so much death and sorrow in her life at such a young age. She always had a smile on her face, talked about the positive things in life. She was never in a negative state of mind, and nor did she ever seem depressed. “Louis, I had no idea… I’m so terribly sorry for your loss and I mean that,” he placed his hand on his chest and took a deep breath in. “I would have never… never in the wildest dreams would I have fathomed that Mag - “ Harry couldn’t put a sentence together. His mind was a jumbled mess with what to say to Louis and he felt like a babbling idiot. “She is a strong young woman and - I don’t even know what to say.”

“It is a lot to take in,” Louis admitted, “sometimes it’s too much for me even to comprehend so don’t feel too daunted by it.” Rubbing the temples of his head Louis looked up at Harry as he held back the tears, “This might be a long shot but - do you know of any therapist that Maggs could talk to? Like proper ones where she can open up to someone that isn’t me.”

Harry understood, he wanted to help Louis and Magdalena in anyway that he could and part of that is being equipped as a teacher with outside resources for his students with whatever they needed. “I do,” he said standing up, the chair moved across the floor as he turned and headed towards his desk, “I have a list of a few therapist that specialize in kids with trauma in their lives,” he explained pulling open a drawer and looking through the filed papers to find what he needed. “You can research them on your own but they are good and maybe they will help Magdalena open up and help you worry less about her keeping things inside and not talking.”

Harry’s boots clicked as he walked back over and handed the paper to Louis as he took his mug and walked to go rinse it out. “I know it’s not my place - but… have you talked to someone?”

Louis shook his head as he gathered up the papers and stood up, “my thinking was done was I was helping people in other countries,” Louis assured him as he pushed the chair in and stretched his back, “but thank you for asking. That means a lot.”

Harry about about to open his mouth when the door to the classroom opened up and Maggie stood there, her face was red from the wind and she seemed to be out of breath.

“Sorry.”

Louis shook his head, “we are all done,” he assured her as he gave Harry a small faint smile before turning his attention to his daughter, “why don’t we get your rucksack and we can head on home and get dinner and start on homework?”

“Okay,” she said walking over to her cubbie, her shoes making sounds as she did so, “Mr. Harry did you tell him the good news?”

Louis turned and looked at Harry who crossed his hands over his chest, “good news?”

“You are a chaperone for Matilda. One of the only ones who volunteered the other ones were asked over and over until they caved,” Harry admitted to him not to proud of that face. Louis smiled as Maggie ran over to her father.

“Brilliant!” He said. “Well I’m excited to go and see the show, and even if the other parents aren't that is their loss,” he laughed. “Okay, have you thought about what you want for dinner?”

“Pancakes!”

Louis clapped his hand, “pancakes it is!” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the car keys, “Thanks again for everything Mr. Harry,” he said folding the papers and putting them into his jacket pocket. Maggie stopped as she ran over and gave Harry a hug before she headed with her father and fell in step with him.

“Bye,” she said waving her hand. Harry made his way back over to his desk and began to pack up his things to head on home. Liam was there with dinner that his mum made for them before she headed back home. He heard laughter as he looked up out the window he watched Maggie laughing as she ran and Louis ran after her. Maggie’s little legs began to run to try and catch up to her father. Harry’s eyes watched as Louis bum moved in his scrubs and it looked perfectly round, like a peach. Closing his eyes he shook his head and packed up his bag.

“Catch me if you can!” Louis laughed as his chest hurt from the cold hair. He should have never smoked when he was younger. His legs began to slow down as he coughed and Maggie took off after. “Okay Flash,” laughed Louis as Maggie reached the car and smiled widely at her father. “Mr. Harry had all good things to say to about you,” Louis told her as she got into the car and set her rucksack next to her.

“Really?” she asked her face flushing a bit for she was never one for compliments. Louis got into the driver’s seat and started the car up, he looked in the rearview mirror at his daughter as she sat there holding her sonic in her hands.

“So,” he went onto say as he put the car into gear and pulled out of the carpark and headed towards home, “when I was talking with Mr. Harry he told me that you are doing a brilliant job in school,” Louis told his daughter as he started their car and put it into gear.

“But maths. Maths isn’t good.”

Louis saw her face and knew that she was upset that she wasn’t performing the way that she wanted to in her class. “Well, Wednesdays after school you will stay here for an hour and Mr. Harry will help you with Maths so you can improve. How does that sound?”

“Okay.”

“And,” Louis added as he looked in the rearview mirror at his daughter, “he said that he doesn’t want you to be bored with his reading so he is partnering up a teach in a few grades above you and will have a new reading list for you to read those books that are more on your level.”

Maggie furrowed her brow.

“What darling?”

“Do I have to?” she asked him quietly as she looked down at her shoes. “I don’t want to be different.”

“You would just read a different book and then turn in a different type of paper or project to correlate,” explained Louis. “Since when has being different been a bad thing?”

Maggie shrugged. Louis watched as she began to fiddle with the zipper on her jacket and moved it up and down. Louis knew that she was holding back from him, and he also knew that she was worried about. “Maggs,” he said, she looked up at and at her father. “I don’t want you to think being different is bad. It’s not. Don’t ever think that okay. Your mum was different, I’m different. All the best ones are.”

Maggie looked at her father and smiled but he saw that her eyes were still worried. He turned down their street, “What?” she asked not sure why her father was still looking at her.

“I love you.”

“I love you too dad,” she told him shaking her head and turned her attention out the window.

Pulling up to their flat Louis parked his car and turned to Maggie who had unbuckled herself and sat in the back, her hand on her rucksack, “when we get in, start on homework and I will start on dinner,” he said to her as she nodded to him and set her rucksack in her lap. “After dinner we shower and I can braid your hair and then we get to bed early.”

Maggie gave her father a thumbs up as he tapped her nose and grabbed his bag on the next next to him and they both headed on out of the car. Maggie walked in front of her father as Louis dug for his keys in his pocket as she held the gate open for him and then skipped up the stones and to the front door. Once Louis got to the worn blue front door he unlocked it and Maggie took off up the steps and Louis locked the front door and grabbed their mail from the post box and followed behind a bit slower.

“Wasn’t Mr. Harry the best?” Maggie asked her father as she stood there on the landing waiting for him. “He is the best teacher I’ve ever had.”

Louis agreed, Harry was something else and he was just at smitten, if not more than his daughter. “He is a very brilliant man. I’m glad that he is your teacher,” he added as he held the door open and she made her way to the kitchen table to start on her coursework. Setting her rucksack on the chair next to her she unzipped her bag and pulled out her coursework. While Maggie did that Louis hung his bag and jacket on the hook by the door as he walked over to the kitchen, putting his kettle on before he grabbed everything he needed for breakfast for dinner. Riffling through the pantry he found the box of pancake mix and grabbed it.

The kettle whistled as he grabbed it and poured the water into the mugs and the tea began to steep. Checking the time he made note to take the bags out after the three minute mark. Turning the stove on he heated up the pan as Louis began the pancake batter prep. “So Maggs,” Louis said to her as she worked on some social studies worksheet. “How would you feel about going to talk to a therapist about whatever is on your mind?”

Stopping, she looked up at her father puzzled.

“I want you to be able to speak to someone where you don’t have to worry about making me upset, or sad about when it comes to your Mum, or your grandparents,” explained Louis, “you can say pass but I would like for you to go for one session and see what happens.”

“I’m not weird if I go?”

Stepping away from the kitchen Louis walked over to Maggie, kneeling down he took her hand and looked up at her, “No,” he shook his head as he cupped his daughter's face, “Maggs you are not weird, you won’t be weird if you go. I just,” he paused as he pressed his forehead against his daughters. “I want you to know that you can talk about the stuff that makes you sad, or angry, or scared. You don’t have to keep that in here,” he took his free hand and touched her chest. “And I know you don’t want to talk about things for you don’t want me to be sad, or scared or angry.”

Maggie nodded her head, her curls bouncing up and down.

“That is why I want you to talk to someone,” he said, “I don’t want you to ever feel that you can’t be sad, or angry, or scared for those are normal feelings darling, and sometimes those feelings happen out of nowhere after very sad things happen and you can cry, and you can talk about it.”

Maggie nodded again at her father.

“I love you Maggs, and I want you to know that I will do anything for you.”

She wrapped her arms around her father’s neck and gave him a kiss on the cheeky. “I love you too dad.”

Louis kissed her forehead before he stood up and walked back over to the stove and began to prep dinner while his daughter when back to her school work. As the kettle whistled he poured the two cups, making his daughter’s with more sugar that he should allow and a little bit of milk. He set the cup next to her before he started the first batch of what would be banana chocolate chip pancakes. “So, what do you want to be for Halloween this year?” he asked her.

“I was thinking,” she said and he knew this was going to be a conversation that last throughout dinner so he settled in.

•••

“I think I’m going to shave my head and dye my beard pink,” Liam said as Harry made a faint sound and kept his gaze on his food as his hands moved the same piece of lettuce around the plate going on the seventh minute at this point. Huffing Liam thought that he would try and different approach to see if that would snap Harry out of whatever he was in. “How about we adopt a Cheetah,” he went on as he grabbed another piece of garlic bread. “Name it Trixi.”

“Cool,” Harry said. “Make sure it has a cage.”

Rolling his eyes, Liam cocked his head and looked at his friend. He was a million miles away at this point and he needed to bring him back to reality. Getting up he made his way over into the kitchen and grabbed himself another beer, his hand hovering over the second one for Harry. He turned his head and looked at Harry’s plate. He was still on his salad and the pasta sat in the pot still on the stove. Standing up he shut the door, using his foot to make sure that it was closed before he walked back and sat down across from his friend. “What’s his name?” Liam asked as Harry checked back into reality. Harry shook his head and turned to Liam who just sat there, his eyebrow arched as he waited for Harry to start talking. “You have been in la la land all night since you got home,” he told him as Harry tried to deny it. “You haven’t touched your dinner and you just told me that it was okay to get a Cheetah as long as it had a cage.”

“I did not,” Harry laughed trying to play it off as he looked down and saw that his salad was still all on his plate. “Did I?”

Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “You did mate,” he told him. “So spill. We have been mates for how long and whenever you crush I get to hear about it. Why is this one so hush hush? It’s not like Uni when you didn’t want me to know you were gay for fear I would freak out and leave the dorm.”

Harry’s mouth dropped, “That was not the reason and you are being an insufferable tool.”

“I know, now tell me who the hell is this man?”

Harry tried to keep a serious look on his face but he felt his smile creep back up onto his face. “You will give me a lecture when and if I tell you,” Harry said setting his fork on his plate. The lettuce was limp from the dressing. Getting up he set his plate by the sink before taking his bowl to fill it with pasta.

Liam rolled his eyes leaning back into his chair. “Hit me with it.”

Harry hesitated, he stood there in the kitchen and looked down at his pasta, not sure if he should say something or just make up a name. The ridicule that Liam would instil on him wasn’t worth it.

Maybe, he thought and then shook his head. No. No it’s not worth it. “Just drop it,” Harry told him as he grabbed the grated cheese from the counter and walked back over to the table.

“I will figure this out, I have watched Sherlock, so I am basically him,” Liam said narrowing his eyes. “So it’s someone you don’t want to talk about. So that - no way. No fucking way!” Liam cried out as he hit the top of the kitchen table. “Maggie’s father.”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. “Yes, but we can drop it. It’s a pointless endeavor. During the conference he was talking about Maggie’s mother and it was obvious that he wasn’t interested in what I am interested in,” he said and then looked up at Liam, “and no this doesn't make you the world's most famous fictional detective.”

Furrowing his brow Liam just shook his head at his mate. “He could be bi,” Liam offered him as he took a sip of his beer as Harry set down. He knew that Harry was going to give him an eyes roll and give him the same lecture on how ‘just because he liked someone didn’t mean they were always gay or bi and it was the same as not all girls are going to be straight or bi that Liam would be interested in’. He got the speech a few times a month and at this point he could quote it verbatim.

“He’s not,” Harry said as he looked at his friend and down at his food. “Sorry, I just don’t want to give my speech. I,” pausing Harry looked up at Liam. Part of him wanted to just go for it but the other part of him was worried and cautious when it came to feelings. “There was something about him Li, something that just clicked. The way that he cared so deeply about Magdalena, the way he wanted the best for her even when it was dealing with topics that were hard to talk about,” he explained to Liam as he set his fork down and ran his hands over his face. “Is that stupid? Is that weird to meet someone and something just… just click?” He asked trying hard not to get ahead of himself but his heart wanted to get ahead of himself. He wanted this to be good. Deep down inside he wanted this to be good.

Setting his beer bottle down Liam looked at Harry, he could see in his eyes that he was torn on what to think. “First,” he started to say as he tore his small slice of bread left in half, “don’t count him out as being straight until you know the whole story. You are the one who told me to never judge someone how they look.”

Harry nodded. “I mean, if I did I would still think you were a dumb footie player who just wanted to engage in sexual actions with as many girls as you could and just pass the classes and nothing more.”

“Harsh, but we will get back to that,” he said pointing to him with his middle finger. “Second, it’s not weird.”

Harry forced a smile on his face.

“I’m serious Harry. It happened when I met Jo. I stood there and was like ‘holy shit, this woman just schooled me in knowledge of footie, she also told me that my political views were rubbish but we both agreed that beer in America is shit’. And then after a few more moments I realized that she was smart, witty and I was in love with her and wanted to marry her.”

A laugh escaped Harry’s lips as he shook his head, twirling his fork around in his pasta so he could actually eat dinner and not just play with his food. “Even though I met him once?”

“Yes,” Liam stopped. “Dustin was a dick. A soul sucking dick who manipulated you, and made you feel smaller than you are. Don’t let him still control you, don’t get into that mindset Harry. If you like the guy then go balls first and find out his full story before you find a way to retreat. Promise me that you will have an adult conversation with him and hear his story before you do or don’t do anything more.”

“Lia-”

Liam held up his hand. “Conversation is done, unless you wish to continue we shall take a blood oath and then you can clean up since your skinny arse took forever to eat,” he said with a wicked smile on his face grabbing his dish and walking towards the sink.

“That’s fine,” Harry told him shaking his head.

Turning around Liam looked at his friend, “You deserve happiness Harry, don’t let that voice tell you otherwise, I love you mate and I want the best for you. So when I say - I don’t say these things out of spite or hate. You have been through shit the past three years and I see the Harry I knew from Uni back and that makes me happy. Just I want you to be happy with life.”

“Okay Dr. Phil.”

“Fuck off!” Liam yelled grabbing the dish towel and throwing it at Harry’s head. Harry tried to dodge but it was to no avail and it hit him in the head anyway. “I’m going to shower and crash. Love ya mate.”

Harry set the dish towel in his lap, “thank you Liam,” he said as Liam waved his hand in the air. “I mean it.”

“I know,” he called back and laughed before shutting his bedroom door.

Harry shook his head at Liam. Finishing up his meal he was hungrier than he thought and was able to finish that bowl and then eat a few more fork fulls from the pan as he put the leftovers in the tupperware container. Setting the bowl in the sink he ran some water, adding dish soap he wanted to pan to soak from the sauce and all the nasty stuff that had been cooked on the side from the sauce. He was still conflicted on his feelings. He wasn’t sure why - they were feelings and he couldn’t control them. As much as he wanted to at this point his mind kept going back to Louis.

To his eyes and how he could stare into them and try and determine the color and watch to see if they changed due to his mood or time of day.

To his lips. The smile that he had and how he wanted to badly to just kiss his lips. Just once to see if they were as soft as they looked.

To his hair, he had to fight every urge from crawling over the table and running his hands through his hair, to feel it, to pull it back a bit and see if he would moan.

All the way down to his arse. The perfect peach arse that giggled when he ran but in a firm way. He wanted to touch that butt.

“Stop it,” Harry told himself as he shook his head. “Focus on cleaning dish,” he said as his eyes looked down, “and not your hard on from thinking of Louis.”

Leaning over the sink, he put his elbows on the counter and dropped his head. He was screwed and the last thing he wanted was Liam to be right.

•••

The stairs were a challenge on nights like tonight. Louis stood there, his eyes half shut, the entire flat dark but the stairs taunted him. His body throbbed from his 11 hour shift. His brain hurt from helping with Maggie’s homework and his eyes felt as if someone had just rubbed sandpaper on them. Taking a deep breath in he grabbed the handrail and walked up, taking the stairs two at a time for his bed was calling him. He should shower, but he had told himself no and he would do that tomorrow when he got home before work. He should change, but he would kick off his scrub bottoms and fall face first onto his bed.

“Brush teeth,” he told himself as he reached the landing and his legs moved as if they were molded into cinderblocks. He needed to wash his face, he had been lax on his face wash and small pimpled began to pop up between the scruff that covered his chin and jawline.

Standing in the bathroom he held his toothbrush and used the little strength he had to apply toothpaste and then start to brush his teeth. It had been a long day. When they had gotten home Maggie went right to her school work and Louis went to make dinner. Homework and the clean up was all done before bedtime which pleased Louis. Standing there his hand moved up and down on his back teeth as his mind thought about Harry.

God, he was something else. Even with Louis driving home his mind still lingered on Harry and his looks, his smile, and how he wanted the best for Maggie. It was more than a teacher wanting the best so they keep their job, but a best where he was concerned about her social behaviours. As well as other issue that had arisen since she went back into a formal classroom setting. His smile - those dimples he could look at them for hours. He wanted to look at them for hours he truly did.

Stop this he told himself as he spit out the toothpaste. He turned the water on to risen off his tooth brush and splash some water on his face as to attempt to wash it. Setting the toothbrush down, and turning the water off he slowly moved over to his bed. His hand slowly untied the waistband of his scrubs and slid them down his legs. Taking one foot at a time out of the pant leg and folding them up to set them on the bench for him to wear tomorrow. As he took his shirt off he tossed that in the basket to be washed. He was to lazy to put pajamas on tonight. Moving his duvet down Louis climbed in, his body relaxed and became one with the bed.

“He is a nice guy that is all Louis, just don’t think about it,” he said but as he said that he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He could see Carly’s face now, her eyes narrowed at him, her smile slowly spreading across her face as she asked him the details of this man that had caught his fancy. She would pry and pry until Louis finally would confess. “Think about puppies, footie, work, Maggie’s halloween costume, helping with the halloween party at school. Harry dressed up,” Louis stopped, rolling over on his side.

 _It’s a crush. Just an infatuation and nothing more. Just go to sleep. Sleep is needed. You need to sleep Louis and wake up and just go on with your life without thinking about Harry in the way that you are thinking about him now. Sleep._ He said to himself turning over to his side as his eyes looked at the wall. _Tomorrow you will look up the doctors and see what one will be the best fit for Maggs and then you will call. You will write Mr. Harry a thank you note for all this help, and you will make a list of what food you will make for dinner this coming week._ Louis said as he did all he could to try and talk himself to sleep. Flopping onto his back his eyes looked up at the ceiling, “Car what should I do?” he asked but he knew that he wasn’t going to get an answer, but he hoped that maybe he would get some advice or a sign.


	4. Cookie Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 6:51 am and I'm sorry the title to the chapter is so lame *covers face and goes back to sleep after posting*

While most people hate Monday's Louis loathed Thursday's at the A&E. It was his day where he pulled a double and wouldn't leave the place until after 9:45. He wasn't sure what it was but no matter what Thursday, or what time he always had a batch of crazies. Today was no different. It also didn't help that his mind was everywhere but at work. From debating on what Doctor Maggie to see, to making the grocery list for his trip this week and the ever growing through of Harry that he had to use all the power in his mind, body and soul not to think of. Two of the three were easier said than actually done.

Add to list; see the optometrist for better glasses. I am such an old man. Louis thought to himself as he had to have his eyes focus even behind the lenses of his glasses as he left a patient and headed to the nurses desks.

“Patient in room four can be cleared and the meds gone over with them,” Louis said as he looked at the chart and handed it to Agatha as his eyes adjust to the crappy light that was in the hospital. He checked his watch and the mid shift of nurses were coming in and Louis was ready to go on lunch. “The kid in room seven needs a shot for the pain and then I can go back and reset his arm,” he then looked at the last one. “Swab for strep and run the test and if it’s not that then we can visit a few other options.”

The nurses nodded and took the papers and headed to their respective rooms as Louis looked over a few other patients that had come in and delegated the files out for the nurses to come and take them when they went to go and see the patients. He grabbed some other files and took a seat down at his desk and updated the files for the patients. Sliding the chair over the tile floors he pulled his left foot under him as his right foot was propped up on the bar under the desk as he waited for the computer to load.

Pulling his mobile from his pocket he unlocked his mobile and checked as he saw that Charlie was headed over to his house early and was picking up some groceries for him from tesco.

Take off milk, bread, eggs, Nutella and pasta off the mental grocery list. Louis told himself as hen went through and cleared his inbox of emails, keeping the ones from VANS, Groupon and a few other ones that pertained to school for Maggs. Closing out of his email he pulled up his web browser and began to search the first doctor that was on the list that Harry had given him.

“I have these for you,” Nancy said as she set some files down in front of Louis. “Doctor Lawson is amazing,” she said as he eyes looked over on the paper that was on the counter next to Louis computer. “Chandler went and saw him when Charles and I got a divorce. He is good with kids and connects with them.”

Louis’s face went white.

“Not to,” Nancy stopped a look of panic spread across her face. “I won’t say anything to anyone but I would go to Doctor Lawson if you were to go with anyone,” she explained to Louis pushing her blonde hair behind her ear. “Didn’t mean to be nosy.”

“It’s alright,” Louis admitted setting his mobile down on the list to hide it. “Thank you for your input Nance, I wasn’t sure where to start but I will start there.”

“Anytime Lou,” she smiled grabbing a new file and heading to see the new patient. Turning back to his laptop it was loaded and Louis was able to get back to work, adding the files that Nancy had just set down to a the pile making even that much taller. Removing his glasses he rubbed the bridge of his nose as he tried to keep his stress level down for he wasn’t sure how he was going to get this all done and still see patients at the same time.

Pulling up the programs he needed to he grabbed the first file and started to update it all as he moved on to the next, and he soon got into the rhythm of it and started to bust through the files.

His fingers moved over the keyboard as he got all that he needed to get done. He didn't mind mornings when he was able to just work on paperwork and do office duties. He loved his job but the stupidity of people sometimes gets to him easily and he was never one to shy away from showing his annoyance for people. “Okay, finish this and then lunch time,” Louis told himself as he grabbed the final file and opened it up to make some notes and put them into the computer.

“Lunch?” Niall asked tapping the counter where Louis was working.

Louis held up his finger as he finished up typing the last note that he needed. Saving the files he looked up at Niall, “ta,” he said standing up and grabbing his jacket and made sure that he had his wallet on him. “Where do you wanna go?”

“Not here,” Niall laughed as they headed on out of the hospital. Louis slipped his jacket on as the fall wind hit them and it felt good to breath fresh air. Shoving his hands in his pocket he took a deep breathe in and closed his eyes. “Nando's?”

“Another option?”

“Cafe around the corner?” Niall suggested to Louis who nodded his head and they took a right and headed around the corner to the small cafe. It was a bistro cafe that had sandwiches, soup and pies. Louis held the door open as Niall walked on in and he followed as they got in line to get their lunch. “How was the meeting with Maggs teacher?”

“Good,” Louis told him as he kept his eyes on the menu. “I’m having Maggs go see a therapist.”

Niall shook his head waiting trying to see if he heard Louis right. “What?”

Louis took his eyes off the menu and turned to Niall, “I’m having her go see a therapist,” Louis said again and then turned back to the menu. Even saying those words seemed weird for him. He never thought at a young age - he had nothing against it. He just wish that it hadn't come down to it. “She has been having issues at school with being social and I’m worried.”

Niall placed a hand on Louis’s shoulder, “when did you - did you think you couldn’t tell me?” he asked not upset but shocked for he didn’t want Louis to feel as if he couldn’t talk to him about these things since Carly and his parents were both gone.

Louis shook his head, “no. I,” he paused, “I don’t know what I thought. I’m worried about her and I want the best for her and if this is it then so be it,” he said as he moved up in the line to order their food. “It’s hard.”

Niall gave Louis’s shoulder a squeeze, “I’m here for you mate, for whatever you need,” he assured him as Louis gave him a weak smile before it was his turn to order. Walking up to the counter, “can I have a number four please with a bag of crisps and then a fizzy drink,” he turned to Niall, “what do you want mate?”

Stepping up next to Louis, “I will take a number seven, crisps and a fizzy drink as well,” he said as they rang it up in the till Louis handed him his chip and pin as he was handed a number for their table for the food to be delivered to.

“Cheers,” Louis said to the woman behind the counter as he and Niall headed to find a quiet table outside the cafe. Leaving the loud cafe they found a just cleaned table right on the pavement and sat down. “I have also been toying with a thought I wanted to run past you. As a friend. Don’t say anything - not a single word to anyone not even your dog,” Louis told him, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses as he looked at Niall who froze as he wasn’t sure what to say to Louis.

“Did you make out with Maggie’s teacher?”

“Fook off!” Louis laughed as he reached over the table and punched Niall in his arm. “No,” he said shaking his head as he tried to wipe the smile off his face. “I’m thinking of going back to school.”

Niall’s eyes widened, “you are just dropping them one after another today,” he laughed as Louis fought not to roll his eyes at him. “I think that’s brilliant.”

“Yeah?”

Niall nodded his head, “You wanted to always go and get your degree but when things happened with Car and you,” pausing Niall looked at his friend as a few people walked past him as Louis took a deep breath in and then out. “There is a but in there someplace,” he said his brow arched. “It's never cut and dry with you Tomlinson.”

“Maggie.”

“OKay, well you have me and Aryena to help whenever and wherever we can. Charlotte graduates this year and I’m sure she will be willing to help,” he stopped speaking as a waitress came with a tray of their food, she set down Louis’s sandwich, and then Niall’s before leaving. “So when would you start?”

“Summer classes to get back into it, just do some night courses and then start in the fall,” he explained picking up half of his cuban and taking a bite, “It’s just an idea, I still need to look into the finances and other”-

“You, Louis Tomlinson, are a man who looks out for those he loves, they always go above your own self, and you sometimes you let what you need fall to the wayside for you care so much for others,” Niall told him as he chewed on his sandwich. “So, do this for you. Do this for you and then you can better Maggie’s life and while yes, it will suck for a while and you will have to adjust to things but Maggie will want this for you and those around will make sure that you can do this.”

“It's still all hypothetical so don't get to excited,” he said taking a bite of his sandwich as Niall just shook his head and examined his food. “What?”

“It’s not as good as Nando's.”

“Jesus, you are something else,” Louis shook his head as Niall let out a laugh and a few people looked over at him as if he was crazy. Louis looked down at his food and just shook his head at Niall as he laughed to himself as he ate his food and Louis said nothing until he got his giggle fit out of the way.

•••

Harry balanced the bags from Tesco in his hand as he did his best to unlock the front door to the flat. He braced his body against the door as he did his best not to drop the eggs and milk, that was the last thing that he needed. He felt his shoe slipping a bit on the ground as he wiggled his hand to turn the key and get the flat door open. He was glad that tomorrow is Friday, while most of the time he didn’t mind the weeks that seemed long but he was ready for this week to end for it seemed to go on forever and ever.

He heard the door unlock, his body tripped a bit as he walked in, leaving his keys in the door he walked, his boots clicking on the hardwood floors over to the counters. Setting the food down he went back and grabbed his keys. Shutting the door he made his way back into the kitchen, sitting his work bag on the counter stool he started to put away the milk, eggs, yogurt and butter along with the peppers and tomatoes he got. The fridge looked full and they had enough food to last them till their official grocery shopping day.

“Going to bake?” Liam asked walking out of his bedroom as he buttoned up his shirt.

“Yeah, the kids are finishing Matilda tonight for homework and so we are going to watch the movie tomorrow and I wanted to make them come treats for them while they watch,” explained Harry to him as he kept the cookie mix out. “Date night?”

“Jo’s sister’s birthday party,” he said not to thrilled and Harry could tell in his eyes he wanted to be anywhere but go to this party. “Neither of us want to go,” he said walking over to where Harry was standing and he knew that he was going to ask for something.

“Yes,” Harry said as he raised a brow and looked at Liam. “I’m not breaking your arm.”

“Well you never did it last time so I wasn’t going to ask again,” he said mocking Harry. “I’m going to drive - I wanted to know that if I texted you and then you call and act as if something is wrong in the flat and that I have to come home.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he grabbed a water bottle, took a sip and shook his head at Liam.

“Really mate?”

Harry’s lips curled up as Liam cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at his sarcasm. “You are a bastard,” he hissed as he grabbed his jacket and shoved his wallet in his pocket.

“Love ya to mate,” Harry laughed setting the water bottle down and waved as Liam headed out the door. “Just text me and I will bail you and Jo out.”

Liam gave him a thumbs up as he checked his mobile,“you know it’s okay to go out and have fun during the workweek.”

“I know,” Harry said as he looked up from putting away the groceries. Liam stood there and looked at him, he wasn’t sure that Harry knew that it was okay. “I am okay Liam,” he said to him stopping, “I promise that I’m okay. I’m going to make some cookies for my class and then get an early night. I’m exhausted from this week,” he stopped. “Want to go to a pub Tomorrow?”

Liam smiled, “yes, my treat. Now get to baking,” laughed Liam as he pointed to Harry and he shook his head. Making sure that he had his car keys Liam headed out of the flat and Harry took in the silence.

His mind was able to decompress from the teachers drama, the kids drama and his own mental issues when it came to thinking about Louis - or attempting to not think about him and failed miserably. Pulling his mobile from his jacket pocket he pulled up Spotify and played his 60’s playlist, letting it fill the kitchen he let the oven heat up and he finished putting away the final part of the groceries before he opted to shower before he began the cookie making spree. That, but he had also been using dry shampoo the past three days for the lack of time to get into the shower to actually shower and wash his hair.

Before he left the kitchen, Harry leaned over, unzipped his boots and set them on the shoe rack, his mix matched socks walked over the hardwood floors and into the bathroom, walking in he turned the shower on and let the water heat up Harry walked to his bedroom, his music faintly playing from the kitchen. Walking into his bedroom he took off his dark grey cardigan and draped it over the back of the desk chair. He untucked his white oxford shirt from his trousers, His feet made their way over the closet and hung up the shockingly still clean shirt that he could wear again.

“I can wear this tomorrow,” Harry told himself as he grabbed his grey dress skinny trousers with a black jumper with elbow pads. “Now that that is done,” he said unbuttoning his trousers and shimming out of them he thung them up on the hanger and pulled his socks off his feet and tossed them in the dirty clothes before he headed back to the shower. He was glad that Liam was gone so he could walk around fully nude and not worry about him walking out on him.

Moving back into the bathroom, the room was warm and Harry could feel his body already relaxing. Shutting the door, he walked into the shower and let the warm water run over his body. Stepping under the water hit his dirty hair and it fell on the side of his face. His eyes closed and his mind was still. Everything around him was still. After several moments Harry stepped out of the water stream he grabbed the shower gel, squeezing a quarter size in his hand and the began to lather his body up.

The smell of vanilla filled the air and Harry relaxed even more. As the bubbles formed around his feet he grabbed the shampoo and began to wash his very dirty hair.

 _I wonder how Louis’s hair smells when he gets out of the shower. I bet it’s a mix of fruit and man. Man, really H man? I bet he uses some fresh scent for when he works in a hospital all day long. What are you doing Harry? Really - you need to stop._ He told himself as he rinsed out his hair.

“Cookies, think about cookies,” he told himself as he added in the conditioner and lathered up his hair. “Chocolate chip, sugar, and then oatmeal chocolate chip,” he said standing under the water and having the conditioner rinsed out of his hair. “And eat dinner, don’t forget about that Harry.”

Turning off the water he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist he then grabbed the second one and dried off his hair before he grabbed his brush and combed through the tangles and slicked it back before adding a few hair products so the curls don’t go all over the place making him look like Medusa. Drying off the rest of his body with his hair towel he made his way back to his room to get on clean pants and then slipped on black skinny jeans with holes in the knees and then grabbed a baseball tee that read ‘The Griswolds’ on the front from a tour a few months ago when he saw them.

“Time to bake,” he said leaving his room, his care feet from his bedroom to the kitchen. His mobile was still playing. As he reached his mobile he saw that Liam had texted him, he looked up at the clock, he hadn’t been in the shower that long. For he hadn’t even gotten one single batch of cookies.

**Have a good night H. I don’t mean to sound like a dad but it’s okay to go out and have fun. With me or your other friends, just love you H and want the best for you. I know I say that a lot - Liam**

Harry smiled as he looked at the text from Liam. He meant well, he had been there for him when he was down and didn’t know what to do. He cared about Harry and still walked with him when he had night terrors or when he became shut in when his anxiety took hold of him.

**Thanks Liam. I know you want to best for me (: Friday will be boys night and we can get pissed at the pub, have Jo have to come let us in for we lost our flat key. You can piss in the street and I will get all philosophical. Just like we were back in Uni - H**

**I am holding you to this mate!!!!!! - Liam**

**I will prep my stomach tomorrow - H**

Harry set his phone on the counter as he grabbed the wok from the cabinet he set it on the stove, adding oil he heated that up while grabbed the sugar snap peas, water chestnuts and and broccoli. Adding them to the oil it sizzled for a bit as he grabbed the chicken and cut it into chunks and then added those into the mix. As his dinner cooked Harry began to gather all the ingredients that he needed for the cookies, eggs, butter, all the bowls, measuring cups, sprinkles for the sugar cookies.

Harry glanced over at the clock and saw it was just before 6 and Liam and Jo should have gotten to the party and he was hoping that Liam was there at least 45 minutes before he texted him for an SOS. Walking back over to the fridge he grabbed the teriyaki sauce out and added that to his mixture while he found a bag of rice and tossed that into the microwave.

“Bowl,” Harry said to himself as he grabbed one from the cabinet and set it next to the wok as he turned off the flame from under the wok and gave it one final stir. Once the microwave beeped Harry grabbed the hot bag carefully, opening it up he dumped some of the rice into a bowl and then added his veggies and chicken on top.

Sitting down on the counter stool Harry ate his dinner as he grabbed his lesson plan book and looked over what was going to happen coming up until Holiday break. As he marked a few things, he took bites between writing down and planning, he was happy that he was pretty much on target for what he wanted to do. “Okay, good job,” he said to himself as he was pleased with his plans. Closing his lesson plans he finished up his dinner. “Now for cookies,” he said standing up as he pushed his stool back and set his dish in the sink.

Humming to his music Harry grabbed a container and dumped the rest of the food in the wok and set the empty wok in the sink when the music stopped as his he got a text. “Really Li?” He asked him rolling his eyes as he moved his phone and looked at it and saw the text.

**Give me a call in ten minutes - Liam**

**Okay. I will once I get a batch of cookies in - H**

With that Harry got to work on the first batch of cookies. Mixing it all together in the bowl Harry grabbed his cookie tray, ice cream scoop and began to put the cookies on the tray and space them out evenly before putting the sheet in the oven he prepped the next one with and had it ready to go in the oven. While he worked on the third tray his mobile went off.

“You can hold your horses!” Harry hissed at his phone as he scooped up the last of the dough and put it on the tray and set that next to the other one. Moving the bowl, scoop, spatula and measuring cup in the sink he began to run the water as he got his phone, pausing Spotify he called Liam who had sent in several messages.

Clearing his throat he prepped himself for his Oscar winning performance.

“Hey Harry, what’s up?” Liam asked pretending to be shocked that he called.

“Help!” Harry cried out as he was overdramatic and closed his eyes. “I need you home Liam. I need you to help with busted pipe. In the kitchen. Water is going all over,” he waved his arms to add to it even though Liam couldn’t see him. “Help. Oh Liam, my Liam help!”

He could hear that Liam was doing all he could not to laugh at Harry, and he was no doubt going to find his pants in the freezer this weekend as payback. “Okay, no worries mate, call the landlord and I will be there soon,” Liam said to him. “I will let them know that we have to go.”

“Okay. Sounds good, also,” Harry added, “no when you get here you can’t eat any cookies. I will cut your hand off Liam Payne,” Harry threatened him. “Now hang up the phone and lie to Jo’s sister.”

“Will do,” Liam said as the phone clicked and Harry went back to making his cookies. He watched the time on the cookies in the oven and started the batch of Sugar cookies. He had to wait for the first back of cookies to get out and put those on the tray, but the batter was all prepped and ready to go.

Harry went to clean out from his dinner and put it all put away and dried off. As the oven beeped Harry grabbed the first back out of the oven, and moved the cookies from the tray to the cooking rack and rinsed off the pan and dried it. Getting the second pan in he began to place the sugar cookie dough on the tray and got into the rhythm now with baking.

Changing his playlist, Harry put on the 90’s hits and turned up the volume as No Scrubs by TLC came on and he couldn’t help but shake his skinny hips around the kitchen as he went to check on the cookies.

“I don’t want no scrub, a scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me,” he sang a bit off key as he moved grabbing the tray and moving the cookies to the cooling sheet. “Hanging out the passenger side of his best friend’s ride trying to holler at me,” he sang moving to the music before he set the new tray in the oven and put the rest of the sugar cookie dough on the pan and got to work on the third dough after he washed out the bowl.

“If you don’t have a car and you’re walking,” he said singing to the end of the spoon as his bare feet moved from side to side to the beat, “oh yes, son, I’m talking to you. If you live at home with your mamma, oh yes, son, I’m talking to you!” he sang out mixing the cookie dough in the bowl. “If you have a shorty but you don’t show love, oh yes, son, I’m talking to you! Wanna get with me with no money, oh no, I don’t want, no,” he sang spinning around and posing with his spoon.

Turning around, Harry checked the cookies in the oven and then went and checked on the ones that were cooling to make sure that they were good so he tasted one from the chocolate chips and was pleased. He waited for the first batch of sugar cookies to get done and he could start getting the oatmeal cookies in the oven and finished by the time Liam and Jo got back to the flat. Unlocking his mobile Harry opened up Snapchat and decided to make a video for he had some time to kill. “When you say your are making these for your students but you really want to eat cookie dough without guilt,” sending the snap to a few mates, his sister and adding it to his story.

The oven beeped, “one more to go in,” Harry said to himself pushing his baseball tee shirt sleeves up as he grabbed the oven mitt, open up the oven not all the way down for he figured he would be able to pull the tray out and he would be fine.

“Harold!” Liam yelled startling Harry as he pulled his arm back, it hit the oven door and from a reflex he jolted his arm up hitting his forearm on the rack, his hand dropping the cookies, they all broke apart as they hit the oven door, the floor and one hit Harry’s food. The tray hit the hardwood floor.

“Fuck!” Harry yelled as he wanted to grab his arm in pain but that wouldn’t do him any good. Running over to the sink he put the water on cold and ran his arm under the water as it stung, “shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,” he closed his eyes trying to channel the pain and not let it consume him but he feared that his arm was going to need more than just cold water for his entire arm seemed to have a pulse and it throbbed.

“We brought you some chips,” Jo’s voice called out as she walked into the flat, her brown eyes grew wide as she ran over, her high heels clicking on the floor as she set the food on the kitchen table, it sliding across as she made her way over to Harry. “What happened?”

“Liam scared the shit out of me, I was in my own world and when I heard Liam’s voice I decided to just burn my entire fucking arm,” he said leaning down and pressing his forehead on the edge of the sink and stomped his foot in pain. “I will be okay,” he lied for he knew that he wasn’t going to be okay, his entire arm was about to fall out.

“No,” she shook her head as she grabbed a paper towel and ran it under the water to wrap around his forearm. “Liam and I can drive you to the A&E.”

Harry shook his head as he took a deep breath in and stood up even with the pain that was radiating through his arm. “I got it,” he said turning the water off and walking to his bag where he grabbed his billfold. “Can you put the rest of the cookies in the oven? And pack them up in the containers over there,” he said pointing with his good arm.

“Yes,” Jo assured him as she slipped off her shoes and pulled her long black hair back and began to clean up the cookies that were on the floor. “Liam, get his keys and jacket and wallet for him.”

Liam was about to make a comment when Jo’s head popped up from the kitchen and she glared at him, “don’t mock me Payne, you help Harry and make sure he has his mobile!”

Harry tried hard not to snicker, he loved Jo and how she kept Liam in his place and he was glad that someone was able to. Liam handed Harry his jacket and keys as he made his way out of the front door and headed to his car. His arm throbbing as he struggled to get into his car. Once he got in he slowly got the car started and he made his way to the A&E.

•••

Louis looked at the file as he headed on out of the room where the five year old who had broken his arm falling out of a tree and his mother blamed Louis for the pain when he reset his arm. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he had an hour and he would be home to see his daughter and to sleep.

“That kids was something else….” Savannah said as Louis took a seat at his computer to log in the other things needed and to see what patient he had next to see. “He tried to bite me and then his mum hurled abuse at me.”

Louis laughed, “Yeah, they are something else in there,” he said shaking his head as he checked his mobile to make sure that Maggie had finished her homework and she had, she also had eaten her entire dinner which made Louis happy as well. He then pulled up his Safari browser and finished reading up about going back to school to finally become a doctor. His pointer finger scowled up before a file was set down in front of him with a flap.

“One more,” Robert said as Louis looked up from his mobile. “Burn, easy, Dave is working with a more serious case and since you are the RN you can help the bloke and get him on his way.”

Louis nodded, locking his mobile he stood up, grabbed the file without even looking and headed to room 14. He knocked and then headed on into the room. “How are we doing tonight -” Louis stopped as he stopped in his tracks as the man in the room was none other than Harry. “Mr. Styles.”

“Harry,” he said wincing.

Louis pressed his lips together and walked over to Harry, sitting down on the chair and rolled over to the hospital bed that Harry was sitting on. “So, I need to do all the boring vital stuff,” he said to him as he grabbed the thermometer and ran the ball over his forehead and took not that it was 98.7. Normal. “Sorry this is your Thursday night,” he said said as he then checked his blood pressure. Louis felt his heart racing a bit as he wanted to make some more small talk with him but no words were coming to his mouth.

Harry held his arm still as he smiled and shrugged his left shoulder. “It’s okay,” he admitted as he watched Louis’s hand held his arm and he watched as the automatic blood pressure machine worked. “Long shift?”

Louis nodded, “yes, but you are my last patient so then I can go home and see Maggs and release my sister from babysitting duty,” he laughed as he watched the machine take Harry’s blood pressure. “104 over 70,” he said as he removed the band and set it back. Rolling back in his chair he scribbled down the vitals in his notes and made his way back over to Harry. “Okay so where is the burn?” Louis asked Harry as he pulled up his sleeve shirt, wincing in pain as the paper towel now dry was removed from his arm, Louis held Harry’s arm with easy, his hands gentle and helped him relax and forget the pain was there. “How the bloody hell did you do this?” he asked him as he looked at the burn on his forearm and then up where his elbow bent. Louis set his arm down, standing up he walked over and slipped on some latex gloves and began to look for the ointment to put on and bandages to cover up Harry’s arm.

“Do you want the cool story I plan to tell the teachers at school or the real lame reason on what happened?” Harry asked him as Louis walked over to a drawer and pulled out a few things out and made his way back over to Harry.

“Part of me wants to hear the horrible story that you are going to tell your fellow teachers but being a professional I need to hear the true story,” he told him and then stopped, “So both?” he asked him with a small smile

Taking a deep breath in Harry looked down at his arm, and how red, and blistered it was, “cookies,” he whispered.

Louis cocked his head, “Wha?” he asked him shutting the drawer with his hip and walked back over and took a seat and looked up at Harry. “I’m not patching you up until you tell me.”

“Is that legal?”

“Yes,” Louis said with a deadpan face and Harry had to press his lips together so not to laugh. “Spill it Mr. Styles or you suffer.”

“Don’t you have a hippocratic oath being a doctor?”

“See,” Louis laughed, “I’m not a doctor, just a nurse so I don’t have any of those oaths. I can be the biggest dick and I would still have a job.”

Harry was a bit shocked that Louis was a doctor. Never once did he think that he was just a nurse, but things began to make more sense with his weird hours and the long work weeks for himself. “Well then,” he said grabbing his jacket. “I will just go,” laughing Louis placed his hand on his knee to stop him from going.

“No, you will tell me,” Louis said eyeing him. “I will use my Jedi mind tricks and make you tell me,” he placed his pointer and middle finger on his temple, his eyes narrowed as Harry shook his head.

“Are you a Jedi or Charles Xavier?”

Leaning back Louis let out a chackle and then covered his mouth for he realized that all the nurses probably heard him out there at the desk, and the last thing they needed to think or know that he was flirting with a patient, and on top of that Maggie’s school teacher.

“I was making cookies,” Harry said and he watched Louis’s face turn red as he truly tried not to laugh out loud at his response to how he burnt his arm. He felt a snort escaping his nose as he coughed trying to cover up his laugh. “See!” Harry said using his right hand and pointing at Louis. “This is why I wanted to say that I was attacked by a bear!”

“In London?”

“Yes,” he said trying to be serious. “I don’t know - I would have thought of something better, shut it,” Harry said shaking his head as Louis opened up a container and took his hand and spread the ointment around the blister from the burn. Wincing a bit Harry’s arm jerked a bit but watched as Louis’s hand gently rubbed in the ointment before wiping off on his scrubs before opening up the large gauze pad, gently placing it on his arm and then taping it down on his arm and then moved to the second burn and bandaged that one up.

“So, it’s going to blister,” Louis explained to Harry turning his arm, and pushing the sleeve up more and wanted to check his arm and make sure that he didn’t do anything else to it. “Did you drop anything anywhere else on you?”

“Just hot cookies on my foot,” he said holding up his left foot up and wiggling his trainer. “But it’s fine, I promise,” he assured him Louis as he took that as truth.

“So with it going to blister to the point where you should not pop it yourself and if it does I would make sure to wash it,” Louis explained to him rolling the chair over to the container where he got the gauze out of. “If it doesn’t then you can come back and we can pop it for you so there will be little to no scarring,” he explained.

“Okay, sounds good.”

Reaching into the drawer he grabbed out a handful of gauze pads, “and, I’m going to give you this,” he said handing him the ointment. “Use this around the outside of the blister to help it from itching and the skin getting all, to use the medical term, funky,” he laughed. “Here are gauze pads to last two weeks change it in the morning and then at night. When you shower I would cover it so not to irritate it.”

Harry nodded his head as he took note of what Louis was telling him. Standing up he grabbed his chart and made a few notes before he turned to Harry who was slowly putting on his jacket before shoving the ointment, and gauze in the his pocket and getting off the hospital bed.

“Did the cookies get made?”

“The man who mocks me now wants to know if I had finished my baking?” Harry asked him as Louis finally let go of his arm and went to grab the gauze for Harry.

“It’s only logical I do so,” he said as he held the chart to his chest and crossed his arms over it, at this point he didn’t even think how late he was to getting home, he would be able to make up a reason to Char and not mention Harry if need be.

“In a way,” Harry admitted to him as Louis handed him a giant stack of gauze. “My flatmate's girlfriend said she would finish the last batch and put them in the oven but I fear my flat mate is going to eat most of them when they are for the students tomorrow.”

“For the movie?”

“How - wait, sorry I forgot that Maggie talks to you unlike most of the students,” Harry said shaking his head as the curls fell in his face. “Sorry that I came dressed like a Uni student.”

“It’s nice to see those out of there work costumes and in what makes them comfortable,” Louis told him, “trust me I verge on Uni student and homeless man depending on what I decide to wear whilst not in these,” motioning down to his scrubs as he tried not to look a the curls in Harry’s hair and how they seemed to lay perfectly on his head. He wasn’t sure if there was anything wrong with this man. “It was nice to see you again Harry,” he said and then shook his head, “not that you came to the A&E but… you understand.”

He wanted to melt into the floor at this point.

“I do, it’s been a long day and I’m sure you want to get home to Magdalena.”

Looking at his watch he knew that Char would have texted him and his daughter would have done the same for he was 45 minutes past his leaving time. “Yes, and to shower and sleep at some point as well.”

“Thank you for this,” Harry said holding up his arm, “and all of these,” he said patting his pocket full of gauze for his arm. “I will see you for the field trip next, yes?”

“Yes,” he said rolling on the balls of his feet as he stood there in the room not sure why he can’t move as Harry walks towards the door. “Safe travels home,” he said as he was grasping for reasons to keep him there to talk to hi. “If you need anything”-

“I will call, no worries,” Harry said as he gave a wink and then left. “What the actual crap,” he said under his breath as he turned and left towards the Lobby and to head back to his car. “This is what Baby must have felt like when she said that she carried a watermelon….”

Louis stood in the room, he took the file and began to slowly hit himself in the head with it, “stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid,” he said quietly as he hoped that he could knock some talking skills and the ability to be less awkward in him before he left the room and got looks from everyone over why in the world it took him 45 minutes to patch up a burn. Clearing his throat, he put the file under his arm, took a deep breath and left the room and headed back to the Nurse desk. He set the file down to be put in by the night shift as he grabbed his bag, and slipped his laptop in their his hands shaking a bit, “I’m off,” he said without making eye contact. Louis slung his work bag over his shoulder and ripped his jacket off the back of his chair so fast it spun for a few seconds.

“Bye,” a chorus of nurses said as Louis waved without looking back. He didn’t want to answer questions and he was sure that they would have questions for him. Rounding the corner he passed the front desk. Pushing the doors open that lead outside Louis practically ran out of the building. Stepping outside he grabbed his jacket and took a deep breath in of the cold air. It felt good on his body. To air out the smell of the A&E, sick people and the smell of sterilization. The black London sky seemed to engulf him as he stood there on the step. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath in as he decompressed before he got into his car to drive home. He didn’t even bother to text Charlie and let her know that he was on his way home.

Whenever Louis left work his body went into autopilot from getting into his car, turning it on, and then driving home. His body knew the motions and just went through them as his mind was a million miles away. They were on Harry and if he would call, if he was single and then Louis quickly came to the realization that he probably wasn't single by how he was so endearing, compassionate and had a heart that was made for others. It had been years since Louis last was in the game of dating and he wasn't sure if Harry was flirting or just being nice since Maggie was in his class.

The only thing to bring him out of his thoughs was his mobile ringing from a number he was just going to ignore and have it go to voicemail. He knew they wouldn’t leave one so he wasn’t worried about having to call them back. Turning down his street Louis slowed down as he approached his flat, as he came up he parked on the street, putting the car into park and turning off the engine.

“Bag,” he said as he grabbed his bag from the passenger's seat, “cup,” he grabbed the top of his coffee mug that was now empty and needed to clean it out once he got inside. His eyes scanned the car before he pushed the door open and got out, making sure he had his keys in his hand before he got out of the car and walked across the street and to the flat. His body had a jolt of energy as he walked through the gate and he almost ran up the small path and up the two steps before he unlocked the front door. He was so glad to be home and give his daughter a hug and kiss and tuck her into bed. He was also happy he was off work tomorrow.

Louis’s worn trainer rested on the first step as he heard his daughter laughing and running no doubt from the kitchen into her bedroom to get dressed and be ‘ready’ for when Louis got home. While he knew that some part of him as a parent should be made that she was up past her bedtime on the school night he just wanted to see her so he was okay with it.

“Up we go,” he said to himself pushing up and moving his feet up the steps as he listened to hear his sister saying something, all her words were muffled through the walls and being so far away. With each step the voices became more coherent and before he knew it he reached the landing and before he could open the door it flung open as his daughter stood there, in one of his old shirt from Uni and her hair wet and braided very nicely thanks to Charlie.

“Dad!” Maggie yelled as she jumped up Louis grabbed her in his arm, her little arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist as he waddled into the flat as he got a kiss from his daughter and she pushed his glasses up on his nose for him. “How was work?” she asked him talking a million miles a minute. “I did all my course work, Aunt Charlie made my lunch for me and it’s packed, my rucksack is all set for school and I have my uniform laid out and ready to be put on. My hair is in braids so I don’t have to do it tomorrow,” he said pointing to her hair.

“Is this all to ask if you can read?”

Maggie nodded her head. “I want to finish up the book before I start the new book for school.”

Sliding his bag off his shoulder it landed on the floor with a plop. Making his way over to the kitchen table he set the mug down and pressed his forehead against his daughter, “go and read, I’m going to talk with Aunt Charlie and have dinner and then you need to go to bed.”

Her face lit up as she kissed her father’s nose. Unwrapping her legs from his waist she slid down out of his arm, pulling Louis shirt down she ran over and gave Charlotte a hug and kiss before grabbed her book from the kitchen table and running to her bedroom to hopefully finish up the book before her father tells her it’s time to go to bed.

Before Louis could get his mouth opened Maggie came back out, “you never said how work was.”

“Good,” he told her as she stood at the end of the hallway that lead into the kitchen. “Mr. Harry came in, he had a burn on his arm so I patched him up.”

“Mr. Harry got hurt? Is he okay? What happened?” She asked her father walking over to him shocked to hear these words. Louis felt as if he should have known that she was going to act this way when he told her but it still caught him off guard.

“He was making cookies and got hurt on the stove,” he told her as Maggie went to the closet, opening up the door she pulled out the box that housed random cards that Louis kept on hand for birthdays and thank yous. “He is okay, and he will be at school tomorrow no worries.”

“Good,” she said sitting down on the ground as she began to look through the cards, “I’m going to write him a get well card instead of reading, is that that okay?” she asked her father, turning her head and looking at him.

Louis nodded as she went back to finding the perfect card for him.

“Can I write him a get better card instead of reading?”

Louis nodded as Maggie’s attention went back to the box filled with cards. After a few more seconds she settled on the card she wanted. Pulling it out with the envelope she put the lid back on the box, standing up she grabbed the card box and put it away in the closet before retiring to her bedroom.

“I will leave it on my bedside table,” she told her father as Louis gave her a thumbs up and then heard the door shut.

Turning around towards his sister Charlotte had her brow raised and a cheeky smile plastered on her face as she stood there and looked at her brother. “Stop. Now.” He said his voice stern as he walked past her to get his dinner from the oven.

Charlie held her hands up in the air as if someone had a gun to her, “I said nothing so stop acting all mental on me,” she said trying to hide her smile but she wanted to know more about Mr. Harry from Louis and not just her niece. Turning around he waited as Louis grabbed his dinner from the oven and walked over to the table. “So, are you going to tell me what happened with Mr. Harry or can I create my own version and tell people that.”

“For Christ sake Char,” Louis hissed under his breath as he took off his glasses, setting them down on the kitchen table, “he came in, I didn’t know it was him. He was the last patient that I had to see, his arm was pretty burnt so I fixed it. He left. I then left. End of story,” he told her annoyed that she kept going on and on about it. Picking up his fork he stabbed the baked pasta with force out of annoyance.

“That all?”

“Yes,” Louis said his eyes serious. “How was classes?”

“Good,” she said putting the kettle on and made her way over to the table and sat next to her brother, “home stretch for graduation,” she told him. “I finished up Maggie’s costume for Halloween and I am working on James’s and then I want to do a shoot for my portfolio. I also made some non costume clothes for them and then adults to use as models and shoot them.”

“I can’t wait to see,” Louis told her sister as he still stabbed at his food. “I called a therapist today for Maggie to go and see and talk to.” He said just out of the blue. Charlotte’s body froze as she looked at her brother and he just sat there, his eyes focused on his dinner. “She needs someone to talk to and to not be afraid of making them sad or upset about memories and”- but before Louis could finish his sister pulled him into a hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck almost cutting off the circulation. “Can’t. Breathe.” He hissed as she let go and looked at him her eyes all glassed over with tears. “Why the tears?”

“I’m just. I’m just happy that you are doing this for her. I know that - we'll therapy has this horrible stigma to it and it’s not. It’s good and I think that it will help her and it will help you.”

“Me?”

“I see you Lou, you always have this worried look when it comes to Maggs. Not the normal parent worry, the one where you know something is off with your child but you don’t know what to do and it scares you every damn day when they leave the house if they will be okay when you aren’t there for them physically.”

Louis hated how observant and right his sister was about mostly everything in their lives. “Only you and Niall know,” Louis said leaving out that Harry had been the one who suggested it. He didn’t need his sister to have a heart attack and go on about Harry yet again. He already knew the man was a Saint in life. “I just don’t need it to get out on social media or word of mouth and then you know who finds out.”

Charlotte shuttered, “are they still calling?”

“Twice a week like clock work.”

“Can you just tell them to stop?”

Louis cocked his head, “that would require them to listen and they are incapable of doing such a simple task so I just let it go to voicemail,” he explained taking a deep breath in, “I don’t want to keep you if you need to get back to campus.”

Before Charlotte could open her mouth the kettle whistled, she pusher the chair away from the table. Standing up she made her way over the counter where she had prepped the tea for her and Louis. “Need help with anything else?” she asked pouring the water into the mugs. She set the kettle back down before she took the mugs in both of her hands and made her way back over to the kitchen table.

“What’s wrong?” Louis asked his sister. While she knew things about him, he had the same talent about knowing when his sister was lying to him or there was something bothering her.

“Nothing,” he voice cracked as she brought the cup up to her lips to take a sip of the tea “I wanted to help.”

Louis rolled his eyes and let out an audible groan. “I know that you do, and I appreciate it but don’t bullshit me. What is going on?”

Collecting her thoughts Charlotte pressed her lips together, her eyes wondering and Louis knew that it must be bad if she wasn’t looking him in the eye and if she didn’t come out and tell him what was going on. Setting his fork down, he braced himself for the worst possible answer.

“Roommate has a new boyfriend,” explained Charlotte setting the mug down.

Louis’s anxiety died as he heard those words, “say no more,” he told her picking back up his fork as he ate the pasta off the end and then stabbed the few pasta noodles that were left. “You can take my room and I’ll grab the li-lo from the closet.”

“You have the shit back, you take your bed. I’m young and can have the couch,” she told her brother taking a sip from her tea. “I have my stuff already unpacked in Maggs bathroom,” she laughed while Louis just shook his head and finished up his dinner. “I’m going to shower, so go on and do what you would do as if I wasn’t here,” she told her brother taking another sip of her tea before getting up and heading to the bathroom. “Thanks,” she said to her brother as he gave her a smile and enjoyed his cuppa.

While his sister could make a good cuppa it wasn’t as good as Harry’s. Stop it he said to himself shaking his head as he got up, grabbing his dirty dish and went to wash it in the sink. As the cheese and baked crumbs fell down the sink Louis took the sponge and made sure he got all the baked on items off before putting the bowl into the dishwasher. Standing there in the kitchen he wasn’t sure what to do. Charlotte had gotten everything done that he needed to for Maggs tomorrow for school, her lunch was made, the flat was clean, he could relax. A concept that was foreign to him on many levels.

“Better check on Maggs,” he said to himself as he walked past the kitchen table, he grabbed his tea and headed to her bedroom. Pushing the door open he saw that she was asleep, her book by her side opened to where she had tried to read but her eyes didn’t allow it. Walking quietly over to her bedside table where the card was laying there. In her neatest handwriting it said ‘Mr. Harry’ on the outside. Setting his tea down Louis leaned over Maggie, taking her book and marking her place before shutting it and setting it on her bedside table. He kissed her forehead as she moved a bit as he did so.

“Love you Maggs,” he whispered to her before he picked up his tea, the card and then turned off the light. Walking as quietly into the room out of it he shut her door so as the words from he and Charlie talking wouldn’t wake her up. Louis made his way back to the kitchen, the shower had stopped and his sister was no doubt finished with her shower and would be ready to turn in once she got out. “To read or not to read?” Louis asked himself as he looked down at the card. Placing his mug on the kitchen table he gently opened up the envelope, sliding the card out he laughed as it had a picture of a dachshund with a bandaid on his head, opening it up his eyes began to read the words that his daughter had written to her teacher.

Mr. Harry,   
My dad came home today and said you got hurt and had to see him to make sure that your arm and burns were okay. I am sorry that you got hurt, I got burned once and know it hurts a tremendous amount. I hope that he did a good job and gave you all that you needed to get better. He is good at making people better even if they aren’t sick with a bad cold. Be careful next time for I wouldn’t want to have to have another teacher when you are the best one around.   
Maggs.

Blinking, Louis kept the tears from falling. His daughter had a big heart for others around her and those she cared about. Putting the card back the way she had it, Louis set it on the top of her rucksack so she wouldn’t forget it in the morning. Finishing off the last of the tea in his cup he walked over to the sink, running the water he rinsed the mug out before setting it in the dishwasher to be cleaned tomorrow after the breakfast dishes were placed in there. Stepping away from the counter Louis bend over, keeping his legs straight he touched his shoes as he heard his back crack upwards towards his neck. The tension seemed to dissipate, he stood up, arching his back his felt it crack again as his shirt from his scrubs lifted up.

“Nice tatt, when did you get that one?” Charlie asked her brother as she walked out in her track pants, an oversized shirt from an event at Uni. She was using the towel to dry off her short brown hair.   
Standing up straight, Louis pulled his shirt down, ignoring the question from his sister.

“You have several, it’s not like I’m mum and will have a fit,” she laughed. “I swear she was going to have a heart attack when you came home from Uni that one day and you had that compass on your forearm.”

Louis remembered that day, it was Christmas and Carly had gone to see her parents but was coming around for boxing day and he had decided to get a tattoo for his brithday. The compass always pointed North to guide him even when he was lost. His mother didn’t understand the meaning and had a half hour freak out over her son putting ink on his arm that would forever be there.

“She couldn’t form a complete sentence, all she did was stutter and kept going ‘Louis William how. Why? I can’t…” he said trying to match his mother’s voice and began to pace around the kitchen like she did. “I thought she was going to pull her hair out at one point as well.”

“God, that was one fun Christmas break,” she laughed shaking her head. Laying her towel on the back of the chair, she dug in her bag (which Louis had no idea was even in the house. She was good at being sneaky) and grabbed her brush and began to brush her short hair. “So what is that one?”

Lifting up his shirt, Louis then pulled down the scrub bottom and showed off the paper airplane. Charlie cocked her head as she nodded and took her hands and messed up her hair so it would dry a bit faster. “I like it,” she told him. “I got this one,” she said lifting up her top, and right under where he sport bra hit was ‘14.02.14’ and next to that was a simple rose next to it. “Mum can’t yell at me for this one,” she said letting go of her shirt and it fell down and her tattoo was gone.

“No,” Louis said clearing his throat. “No she can’t.” Yawning, Louis covered his mouth and closed his eyes. “I’m off to bed, gotta be up to get Maggs ready for school,” he said as his sister began to make the couch up for her to sleep on. “You sure you don’t want my room so we don’t wake you in the morning?”

Charlie shook her head, “I’m fine Lou,” she assured him yet again. “Thank you again for letting me stay here. I love Marci but when she gets a new one it’s just,” standing up she paused and gave a shiver. “So, I rather not have that soundtrack engraved in my mind.”

“Jesus didn't need that picture,” Louis laughed as he toed off his shoes and moved them over to the shoe rack and turned off the lights in the kitchen and making sure the front door was locked. The flat was silent as Charlie hummed a bit, her feet moving over the hardwood floors and the carpet that Louis got to make the room seem more homey. His eyes looked around and the place was home now. It was home that he wanted to stay in for a while, he looked forward to making the place worn, and lived in. To let people know that when they came in this home was well loved and welcomed for all.

“You going to bring Maggs to school so you can see Mr. Harry tomorrow?” Charlie asked while she sat down on the couch and pulled the quilt over her body. Keeping his back to his sister Louis turned off the lights in the flat. “You want to smile and flirt and be all gross and cute at the same time,” she laughed as Louis turned off the last light and left her in the dark, the only light was the one leading up the steps to Louis’s bedroom.

“Go to bed,” Louis told his sister as his feet climbed the steps.

Her voice rang out “Louis and Harry sitting in a tree, k-i-ss-i-n-g,” she said making a kissing sound with her lips.

“You can sleep on the streets next time,” he said yelled back as Charlie had moved from kissing sounds to moaning and groaning sounds. “I will give you a bloody box and you can beg for food and money and sleep there,” he said covering his ears as she continued.

“Better get a new box of condoms, for the ones you have are more than not expired.”

“Go to hell!” Louis hissed as he tried to cover up his laugh as he knew Charlie was crying from laughing so hard at his reaction. “I’m done with you and your nasty ways,” he told her walking into his bedroom. “I hope you repent for your sinful thoughts.”

“Night big brother!” Charlotte called out. “Make sure you take a shower and get out that frustration about how sexy Harry is out so you don’t wake up in the morning and need to change your pants!”

“Bloody hell!” Louis yelled from his bedroom at his sister before shutting the door.


	5. Session 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter (sorry) but no matter what way I wrote it I wasn't a fan and I was getting annoyed having to rewrite it over and over. 
> 
> Most of the therapy chapters will be shorter. But thank you for reading!
> 
> XO  
> Vi

The wooden oak door shut behind Maggie as her ankle boots walked across the old wood floors and over to the cream couch that sat in front of the window in the room. She had never been in an old flat like this one that had been converted into offices. She kept to herself as she took a seat on the couch, crossing her ankles she laid her hands in her lap as her eyes wondered around the room. Her gaze made it’s way to the door, the door which her father was just on the other side and which she reminded herself as she sat there now unsure of what to say or do. The walls were a dark navy with white trim, the windows had blinds, but they were open and allowed the sunlight that was in and out of the clouds that day to find it’s way in. There was a desk on one side and the carpet sat in the middle of the room with a coffee table on top of it. There were several photos of landscapes, and then a few personal ones that were by the desk. Doctor Lawson sat in a wooden chair next to the couch, but was turned so he could have eye contact with Maggie.

“Everyone gets nervous when they first come here,” he said his voice was smooth and steady as Doctor Lawson spoke. His sandy blonde hair was styled back and to the side while he wore a pair of fitted tan trousers, a nice white button up shirt with a navy blue blazer and brown oxfords. “Take a deep breath,” he said as Maggie did that and let it out. “Good, now,” he said as he leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees, “would you like a cuppa or water?” he asked Maggie as she shook her head no.

“No thank you,” she added as her eyes fell upon the bookshelves in the office. The entire wall was covered in built ins that ran from floor to ceiling. The book shelves were stuffed with book. Some were standing up, while others were stacked up. Some were even stuck in between the small openings to get a few more smaller books in the selves. “You have a very nice book collection,” she told him as he took a seat and smiled at her, setting his paper in his lap.

“Why thank you,” he said. “I take it that you enjoy reading?”

“I love it! My dad calls me a bookworm,” she laughed. “I just finished the eighth book in A Series of Unfortunate Events. My dad said that I have to wait to read the ninth until I read the book for school,” she explained to him. “Which I plan to. I want to, but I want to know what happens with Violet, Claus and Sunny.”

“The sooner you read the book for school, the sooner you found out what happens and if they escape from Olaf,” he said pushing his glasses up on his head. “And I will let you know, that it’s a good one, with lots of twist and turns.”

Maggie smiled as she crossed her legs, pulling her dress over her knees her eyes wondered around the office. “My dad said that you are a therapist. That I’m going to talk to you about stuff.”

Doctor Lawson nodded. “We can talk about whatever you want,” he said as he noticed that Maggie’s eyes were on his paper. “No notes, nothing,” he said removing the notebook and setting it on the coffee table in front of them. “What do you want to talk about Magdalena?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“How about we talk about you?”

“Sure... “ she trialed off and he saw that she got a bit tense. “What about me?”

“Favorite color?”

“Dark red,” she said and then pointed to her dress. “This color.”

“It's a nice dress.”

“My aunt made it,” she told him. “She is going to school for fashion so she experiments and makes me things.”

Doctor Lawson smiled as he made a mental not in his head. “Favorite animal?”

“Dog. And Penguins. I love penguins.”

“Favorite meal?”

“My dad’s pancakes. Or when we make pizza. Anything my dad makes I love,” she told him.

“Do you cook a lot together?”

She nodded her head. “Yes. When he doesn’t have work we make dinner together and then on the weekends we make Sunday dinner for my Aunt when she comes over,” she explained.

“Cooking is always fun. Did you and your mum and dad cook a lot?”

Maggie nodded, “Every Saturday I would wake up and we would have pancakes. It was always a treat for my mum and dad never worked Saturday. Not until mum got sick and then my dad had to.”

“Did you ever care that your mum and dad never were married?”

Maggie scrunched up her face. “No, that would be weird. I know that mums and dads usually are married but mine were different.”

“How?”

“My mum wanted to be a mum. I let her be one.”

Doctor Blank nodded. “And your father?”

“This is weird,” she said shaking her head and making a face. “I love them and that is all that matters right?”

“That is true,” he said crossing his left leg over his right one. “So, how is it being back in London? Your dad told me that you did some traveling?”

“It’s good. I like being by my aunt, and my friend James. I don’t like him,” she clarified with a straight face and looked at him. “I have missed being home, but I loved traveling and seeing the different parts of the world and with my dad.”

“What was your favorite part?”

“I got to spend a month with my Aunt when she was in Chicago. That was a lot of fun. My dad was doing locum work in the States and taking classes for things that I don’t know what for but he had to.”

Trying not to laugh he cleared his throat. Maggie was a well adjusted child, but this was a one on one and Doctor Lawson knew there was more to talk about, just the mention of her mum and she clammed up a bit.

“I got to eat really good pizza, and see musicals, and it was really pretty there,” she went on to explain to him. “I really liked everywhere I went.”

“But you are happy to be home.”

“It’s closer to the family we have left. But close to some that I don’t like.”

“Oh?”

“My mum's parents. My grandparents. They don’t like my dad and they have never liked me, and I don’t want to get happy here and then come and cause trouble and we leave,” Maggie explained to him as she turned and looked out the window. “I know my dad said we wouldn’t move again but I think that he would if they caused trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” he asked leaning forward as he studied the way Maggie struggled on how to approach the topic of her grandparents. He saw the words circling in her mind as she looked out the window, her nose twitched as she took a deep breath in and out. “Trouble for you. Or your dad?”

“Both,” she told him. “They are. You know The Daleks?”

Doctor Lawson nodded, not sure where this was going but was curious. “Would I be a proper Englishman if I didn’t?”

“They are like that. They want to take out anyone who isn’t like them and they have no feeling. They are the cross being a Cyberman and Dalek,” she explained to him her face serious as she did so. He could tell that there was something about her tone that wasn’t her exaggerating, or being a typical 8 year old with a wild imagination.

“Why don’t they like your dad?”

Maggie cocked her head, “they say he never loved my mum. I think he loved her more than they did.”

“Why did they say that he never loved her.”

“You know,” she said not rudely. “They don’t like me for he is the reason that she had me. And they were never married. They hated him for that. They told me before. Also how they treat him. The mean phone calls, and the rude way they cut off my mum.”

Doctor Lawson furrowed his brow. “What have they said?”

Maggie shrugged as she moved on the couch. “Can I look at your books?” She asked him. Nodding she slid off the couch and walked over to look at them. “My dad doesn't talk about it with me. I know it's mean things for he will be in his room and I can hear him on the phone with my aunt or Uncle Niall and he is upset.”

“Do you want to know?”

“I don't want him to be sad,” she explained to Doctor Lawson. “But we had my dad’s parents. I loved them. I would go to their house on the weekends and when my mum got sick and dad had to be at hospital they would stay with me at the house, or I would go to Doncaster and stay with them.”

He made another mental note as he watched as she browsed his book collection. “Do you miss them?”

“Yes,” she told him. “My dad misses them more I think.”

“Everyone grieves in a different way,” he explained to Maggie. “It is okay to be sad and to cry if you miss your mum, or your grandparents.”

“I know,” she told him as she turned and headed back to the couch. “I have just cried a lot and I don’t want to cry anymore,” admitted Maggie. “Is that your dog?” she asked pointing to the photo on the table. “I want to get a dog but dad said no. We are to busy and with his schedule being not stable.”

“His name is Chester,” he said reaching over, grabbing the photo and handing it over to Maggie. “My son, Oliver picked him out.”

Maggie handed the photo frame back to him. “How long do we have to talk for? Not to be rude.”

Doctor Lawson looked at his watch, “we are at the time,” he said placing his hand on his lap. “I know it’s different Maggie, but talking helps and I would love to talk to you again next week? You can come once or twice.”

She nodded, “I enjoyed talking with you,” she told him. “I would like to come back. I’m sorry I didn’t want to talk about certain things.”

Pushing himself up off the chair Doctor Blank stood up, “it’s okay,” he admitted to her, “maybe next time you will want to talk about them and if not, that will be okay to. But when you are ready we can talk about your mum and your grandparents.”

Maggie nodded, her curls bounced up and down as she uncrossed her legs. She slid off the couch and headed to the door as Doctor Blank walked behind her. “Will my dad set up an appointment?”

“Yes, he can do it now or call later,” he told her. Opening up the door he held out his hand, “it was nice to meet you Magdalena.”

Extending her hand she shook his, “it was nice to meet you too Doctor Blank.”

With that she turned on her heels and walked over to her father who was waiting for her in the waiting area of the office. Louis looked up from his mobile as she made her way towards him. Pushing himself up from the chair he asked, “how was it?”

“Good, can I come back next week?”

“Yes you can.”


	6. A Trip To The Theater

Maggie stood by the door and tapped her foot as she waited for her father to get down from his room. She looked at the clock on the microwave and saw that they were going to be late. “Dad come on!” she called out to her father as she heard his feet coming down the stairs. “We have to get there early for Mr. Harry has to talk to you and the parents before the kids arrive,” she explained to him exasperated and frustrated at the same time.

“We can leave now,” Louis told her as he grabbed his black pea coat and slipped it on over his dress clothes for the theater. “Do you want your hat?” he asked but Maggie shook her head, grabbing her purse and opening up the door. “You are more and more like Carly everyday,” he laughed grabbing the car keys and heading down the steps. “Darling, we will be there when Mr. Harry told us to be,” he promised her. “We are driving after all.”

“Still,” she said her black ankle boots clicking on the wood steps. “I don’t want to be late and you tend to be late,” she said stopping and turning back and looked at her father as He was locking the door and taking his time. “See, walk faster father!” She said taking a deep breath in and heading down the steps praying that her father followed her quickly.

Louis shook his head as his daughter rounded the corner and no doubt would be at the car by the time he reached the first floor. He was just as excited to get to school as his daughter was but for different reasons, he wanted to see Harry, he wanted to watch his dimples when he smiled, and talk with him, listen to his deep voice and fight the urge to run his hands through his curls on top of his head. His black vans made their way down the steps, he had borrowed a pair of Naill’s dress shoes but they felt odd and he decided to opt for his Vans. Rounding the corner he saw that Maggie was nowhere to be seen in the entryway and that she was indeed by the car. Pulling the keys from his pocket he pushed open the door and looked as she stood by the car.

“Get buckled,” he said unlocking the car as his daughter opened the door and got into the back seat as Louis made his way to the car. He would be lying to himself if he didn’t try this morning, he shaved, put on after shave and even debated on putting in his contact, but after poking his eyes and dropping the one that went in his left eye he went with his glasses that made him feel like an old man. He hadn’t been this way in a while and it felt odd and good at the same time.

Reaching the car he got in, turning the engine on he made sure that Maggie was all set up in the back before he buckled up himself and made his way to the school. He had to dig deep into his closet but he managed to find an outfit that showed he could wear more than scrubs, and his clothes from Uni, and at the same time he was going to the theater so he wanted to dress for that aspect of the day and not the adorable school teacher.

Louis had found his black dress trousers that still fit, and paired it with a grey scoop neck jumper with a sports coat over it to make it look fancier since he was wearing Vans. His hair was washed, and and styled to the side, trying to hide the few grey hairs that seemed to be showing the past few months. “What are you most excited about?” he asked Maggie as she was in her own world as the soundtrack for the show played throughout the car. She turned her head and looked at her father in the rear view mirror.

“The whole things,” she told him, “we haven’t seen a musical in a long time.”

She was right in that fact. Louis smiled as she turned her head back out to look out the window as she sang quietly to the song as Louis turned the corner and pulled into the carpark for the school. Pulling around to the side where the teacher’s park he left the parking pass in the window before turning the car off and tried his best to gather his thoughts and not be a babbling mess when he saw Harry.

“Have everything?” Louis asked Maggie as she held up her purse and then opened up the door and got out of the car. She adjusted her skirt and waited for her father for them to walk to the classroom. Louis checked his pocket, he had his mobile, wallet and then car keys. He didn’t think he needed anything else for they weren’t given the ticket and there lunch was under the money they paid for the trip today. Pushing his door open Louis got out of the car as his daughter stood there tapping her foot. “Calm yourself Tomlinson,” he warned her as she was about to push him over the edge with her need for being on time. “We have five minutes until we need to officially be here,” he reminded her.

Maggie’s head fell as she looked down at her boots, “sorry.”

Louis stopped, kneeling down he took his hand and lifted his daughter’s chin so she was looking at him, “Take a deep breath,” he said to her as Maggie did and looked at her father, Louis smiled, tapped her nose and then gave it a kiss. “Better?”

“Much,” she admitted to him. Pushing himself up Louis locked the car they turned to head into the school when Louis spotted Harry, he was weighed under his four bags, two boxes of something from a bakery and papers in a folder on top of the boxes that looked as if they were going to blow away in a moment. “Mr. Harry,” Maggie said.

Louis jogged over to Harry, reaching out he grabbed the two boxes from the local bakery from his arms, taking his right hand he grabbed the papers on top, looking over the boxes he smiled at Harry, his curls fell in his face from the wind. “Hiya,” Louis said with a smile as the dimples in Harry’s cheeks appear.

“Thank you,” Harry said as he adjusted the leather bag on his shoulder and the canvas on with other papers as well. “I tend to attempt to carry too much at once and normally ends up in something falling and breaking -” he admitted to Louis as he used his hip to shut the back door to the car. Taking his spare hand he reached into his pocket and locked the car. “Thank you for the help,” he said as he motioned to head into his classroom. “I hope you didn’t mind getting here earlier than usual?”

“I have my personal alarm clock today,” he said as he motioned towards Maggie who was walking in front of them. “She is beyond excited to see the show, and she made it clear when I couldn’t eat and was rushed out for the fear of being late,” he explained to Harry as he adjusted the boxes in his arms. “I’m late a few times and the child won’t let me forget it.”

Laughing Harry could see it now with Maggie, she had the spirit and no doubt kept Louis on his toes. “I can see it now,” he told Louis. “Well, you can make a cuppa when we get into the room and those are doughnuts in the boxes so you can help yourself.”

“Brilliant, sugar is what I need to keep me going,” he joked. “I think Maggie was just thrilled that she didn’t have to wear her school uniform. I had to dig to find my nicer clothes in the back of my closet,” he said as they reached door 10. “Can you hold it open for us Maggs?”

“Yes,” she said as she took both of her hands and pulled the door open and held it as Harry walked in first and Louis followed as Maggie tailed behind them as she turned on the lights.

Harry walked over to his desk, moving his shoulder he dropped his bags onto his chair as his boots walked over the tile and stood toe to toe with Louis and took the doughnuts from Louis, his hands brushing up against Louis’s. “Thank you again,” Harry told Louis as he set the boxes on the table and took the file from the top of them.

“Would you like a cuppa?” Louis asked as he walked over to the back of the room to prep the kettle for tea. “Don’t mind us, please go about your morning like you would without us here,” Louis told him filling the kettle up with water.

Harry nodded, “do you want a doughnut Magdalena?” he asked opening up the box as she walked over and looked at the decadent doughnuts. “Take a napkin and enjoy one,” he said to her as he unbuttoned his grey coat and hung it over the back of his desk chair. “I like your boots,” Harry told her as Maggie looked down and tapped them on the ground.

“Thanks, I got them a few weeks ago when I went out with my Aunt shopping,” she explained to him looking over at the doughnuts and grabbing one. “Dad, do you want one?”

Turning around, Louis set the two mugs down prepped with milk and the tea bag in it, “sure, surprise me with one you think I might like,” he said to her as he tried to keep his eyes on the tea but they tended to wonder and end up on Harry as she filed papers, and fluttered around the classroom getting everything ready for the day. “Milk and sugar correct Mr. Harry?” Louis asked as the kettle whistled.

“Ta,” Harry said as he snagged a doughnut for himself and set it on his desk as he made sure that he had the tickets for the kids, as well as the handouts for the parents when they arrived in a few moments. “It is refreshing having parents arrive on time, I say these terribly early times for I know that most of those who are helping today will be late,” he explained to Louis.

Tossing the tea bags in the bin, Louis took hold of the mugs and carried them over to Harry, setting his down at his desk he walked over and took a seat at his daughter’s desk as she stood up to eat her doughnut. Louis tapped his lap and she sat on his knee. “I wish we could do that with patients at the A&E,” Louis admitted to him as there was a knock on his door and a mother and her daughter walked in. Harry turned around and greeted them. Showing them to the doughnuts and handing them a paper as the other three parents came in one by one with there children.

“Here,” Harry said as everyone had their doughnuts and were watching him as he made his way to the front of the class, he picked up the mug that had a rainbow on it and took a sip of the tea, he smiled at Louis before he addressed the rest of the class. “Welcome,” Harry said as all eyes were on him. The staring eyes of a parent was far worse than that of a student. “Thank you all for coming in a bit before class starts so we can go over this,” he said holding up the paper that was in front of them. “On here is the basic information about the show, I have down there the groups that you will be in charge of,” he explained as Louis looked down at the paper and read the names of the kids in his group.

Maggie  
Ashley  
Nathaniel  
Chadwick  
Kari

He had never heard any of these names which made him please for he knew the name Garrett, if not from Maggie but Charlie who had managed to get the name of the boy who was being a dick to his daughter. “Tea?” Louis whispered to his daughter as she took the mug and finished off her father’s tea as Louis tore a piece of his doughnut off and ate it.

“You will just have to make sure that they behave during the show, and when we get lunch after,” Harry went on. “They are good students, and I’m sure they won’t give you any trouble. You will also be in charge of these,” he said as he held up an envelope with each group’s name on it. “I would suggest that we hold onto these until we reach the theater and then hand them out to them,” he said as he talked about the tickets. “For if they are lost they are lost and I don’t want anyone to miss out on this show.”

Louis watched as the parents seemed to have checked out as they sat there. He turned his attention back to Harry as he continued to speak, “when the kids get in we will do a bit of a run down on the day, talk about the show and do a worksheet. Once the bus arrives we will have them make a toilet break and then load and head out,” he explained. “Yes, Mrs. Coyle?”

“Will they be doing some sort of worksheet whilst watching the show? So it’s an educational trip and not just a waste of everyone’s time?”

Leaning against the corner of his desk Harry took a deep breath in, “we will do an activity before we leave and then when we get to the theater we will enjoy the show.”

Sadly that answer didn’t seem to surface for Mrs. Coyle. She moved in the desk chair and raised a brow at Harry, “as head of the parent union I feel that, that is a bit off basis for the trip.”

“The job of this trip if for the kids to learn something outside the classroom,” Louis said as he turned around and looked at the mother who seemed to have a stick up her bum. “It’s to see a form of art and for the children to hear music, see acting, look at the costumes and to listen to the meaning of the play and realize that it doesn’t matter how small you are that you can make a difference in the world.”

Harry froze as Louis went into defense mode for him and how he taught his class.

“That is not what the story is about,” the mother snarled at Louis.

Louis scrunched his face and gave a look that read this women was an idiot. “It is in fact about that,” he corrected her. “But why can’t the kids go and enjoy? Why does there need to be work that goes along with it?”

“It just does,” she snapped back. “I don’t like your tone… what is your name?”

“Louis Tomlinson, and I don’t think we should be barking orders at a man who is teaching our children and I’m 100 percent sure knows better than we do on what the purpose of having no work to go along with the play will have to do with their curriculum.”

All eyes were on Louis as he spoke and he wasn’t going to back down, he wasn’t sure why he was speaking up, he didn’t need to defend Harry, the man was able to that for himself but something just came over his body and he had the urge to act in such a way.

“So why don’t we just take his word and hear what else he has to say,” he added turning back around and looking at Harry. “Sorry Mr. Styles.”

Opening his mouth Harry tried to speak but the words seemed to get clogged up in his mind and all that came out was air. Closing his mouth he cleared his throat and began again, “Thank you Mr. Tomlinson, and yes, the point of this is for the kids to enjoy a show. Nothing more and nothing less,” he gave Louis a wink and went to address the parents for the last part, “After we will be stopping for lunch,” he went on. As he spoke Louis looked over at Maggie who gave her father a puzzled look, but was pleased that he stuck up for Mr. Harry for she had never been able to in class when kids had been mean to him.

•••

The bus ride was something out of a nightmare. The bus itself was nice, and they had gotten on and left on time without any problems. Louis was treated like a man with leprosy from speaking up in class but he didn’t give a rats as about the thoughts of petty minded people. No, it was the actual bus ride that was like a trip down memory lane to hell. Louis had never been a fan of busses when he was younger, and the older her got the more he realized that busses were in fact from hell. He didn’t mind the loud cries of the children laugh, he was use to the loud and chaotic area in the A&E. It was the fact he felt as if he was sitting on a piece of wood for a seat, and that his back was screaming out at him to stand up and stretch but he couldn’t. The back of the bus is where all the kids had seemed to gravitate towards while the parents sat in the middle leaving two empty rows as a buffer between Louis and Harry and them.

Maggie had claimed the window seat and put her headphones in while listening to music on Louis’s mobile. Her mouth moved to the words of the songs as she studied the London landscape and was in her own world, happy. Louis felt his back hurt with every bump, turn and stop.

I’m going to need a wheelchair after this trip. He thought to himself as he winced as they went over a pothole in the road. Fook. He hissed in his mind.

“We will be there in a few moments,” Harry said as he turned to Louis. He had been on his mobile trying not to be a bother to Louis, instead he had been nervously texting his sister the entire time. “You okay?”

“Yes, why?”

“You look in pain,” he said to him as he noticed he had his hands on his lower back.

“Back problems,” he said to him. “I will be fine,” he lied for he was going to have to pop some pills to make the pain go away so that he could sit through the entire musical. “I forgot what it was like to ride a bus with kids.”

“Interesting to say the least,” Harry laughed as he turned and looked back as the kids kept jumping from seat to seat and the parents sat there acting as if nothing was going on around them. “I’m just glad I have enough parents to help even if it’s just there bodies that are here and not there attention.”

Louis shook his head, “What is with that? I would have thought they would have been thrilled to have their children see a show and learn about art and get out of the classroom for a day?”

Harry shrugged as he buttoned up his jacket to stand up and make an announcement, “sadly, this is how parents are. You,” he said looking down at Louis as he stood up, “are a rarity among them.” Harry stood up as the bus turned the corner and came up to the theater. “Class,” he said as he put his finger on his nose. Louis watched as Maggie followed suit, handing Louis his mobile back with the headphones. Soon one by one the kids listened to him. Standing up a bit he looked and watched the kids. “Garrett, silence please,” he said as the young boy sat down with a huff. “We are about to get to the theater, I would like when we do and get off the bus for you to go with the chaperone and then we can head into the theater.”

“Can we switch groups?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Harry told him. “Now, everyone make sure that your coats are on, and please behave with respect for those who are working at the theater, and for those who will be performing on the stage in a few moments.”

The kids all said yes just as the bus pulled up to the theater. Parking Harry was the first one to get off and they headed out of the theater. One by one and went and stood with the parent that was their chaperone.

“Okay, we have Maggs, and then Ashley?” Louis asked as the blonde raised her hand and smiled. “Krisha?” The brunette raised her hand. “Nathaniel, Chadwick and Kari?” he asked as the two twin boys raised there hands and the girl with straight blonde hair smiled and waved her hand. “Smashing! Now we will head in and see if anything tickles your fancy to purchase.”

“If we don’t want to?” Chadwick asked.

“Then my good sir, you can stand and chat with me,” Louis smiled, “and I am a very interesting man if I do say so myself,” he smiled widely as his group giggled. “Let’s hop and pop inside and get out of the chilly weather,” he said motioning towards the door. “I have your tickets here,” he said tapping his jacket pocket.”

His group all turned and headed calmly into the theater, as they stood in the small lobby, Louis pulled the tickets out and handed them each one, “once they scan them please hand them back to me so we don’t loose them, I wouldn’t want any of you lot to miss out on the show,” Louis said as he handed each of the kids in his group a ticket and they walked through and doors and then waited for Louis on the other side, each of them handing back their tickets for him to keep them safe.

“Thanks for holding on them Mr. Louis,” Nathaniel said. “My mum says that I have butterfingers.”

“So do I,” Maggie said as she handed her ticket back to her father. “Dad, this theater is beautiful,” she said as she looked around. “We need to see more shows.”

“I shall work on it,” he laughed as he counted the tickets and he walked with his group over the carpet and towards where they had merchandise from the show for sale. Ashley and Kari walked up to look as Nathaniel and Chadwick stood to the side, Louis pulled out his billfold out and handed his daughter some money. “Whatever you want darling,” he told her. Maggie stood on her tiptoes as Louis bend over, Maggie wrapped her arms around his neck and gave her father a hug and a kiss before she ran off to look at what shirt she could get or a mug. “My group,” he said as they all turned and looked at Louis, wide eyed and curious if they were in trouble, “Is anyone allergic to anything?” he asked them.

A resounding ‘no’ came from his group. While they looked at the merchandise Louis headed over to the bar area and got water for the kids and then some candies for each of them during the show. He paid for it as a few of the parents got an alcoholic drink. Louis stood there, and he wanted for the students to head over to him. Some of them had bags with goodies in them while others walked over and had nothing.

“Water for all and your choice of treat,” he said as he handed them each a water bottle and candies. “Wait until we sit down to eat them?”

  
“Thank you Mister Louis,” Ashley told him as she looked down at her candy. “Your dad is really nice,” she told Maggie as they headed to the doors and went to find there seats. As they waited, Louis showed all the tickets to the host and they made their way down to row F.

“Alright we stop at seat 18 and come the rest of the way here,” Louis said as he was going to take the end seat in the row. Everyone took their seat and began to dig into their candies as Louis set his candies and water down in the cup holder. Unbuttoning his jacket he draped it over the back of the seat before he sat down. Taking his left hand, he grabbed the Toblerone and unwrapped it, breaking off a piece and popping it into his mouth. Looking around the theater, he saw the theater was filling up with, and then he saw Harry, his grey jacket was unbuttoned and his dress clothes were able to be shown off. He walked as his mouth moved ever so faintly as his hand moved over the heads of the kids from the aisle of the theater.

“Did you have money for that?” Louis turned his head and saw a student talking to Nathaniel as he ate his chocolate. Nathaniel shook his head at his friend as he handed him a few chocolates.

“Nope. Mr. Louis got them for us,” he explained matter of factly to him. “He got them for all of us just because.”

“Lucky!”

Nathaniel nodded as Louis turned back as Harry was setting his coat on the back of the seat next to him, “your group seems happy, and lucky with their treats,” Harry said taking a seat, setting his folder down under his chair and dimming the brightness on his mobile.

Louis shrugged as he crossed his left leg over his right and turned his body more towards Harry as he spoke, setting his Toblerone in his lap, “it’s what Maggs and I do when we see a show and I felt it wrong just to get her something and even more wrong not getting anything at all,” he joked as Harry’s lips curled up in a smile as he leaned forward and looked down the row. “I asked about allergies so they are good and none of them will end up dying on your watch.”

Harry took his hand and wiped his forehead and made sound of him being relieved, “thank god, I haven’t lost a student yet and I didn’t want today to be the day,” he laughed. “How is the back? Can you sit during the show?”

Making a face Louis shrugged and rolled his eyes, “I have a bad back, I’ve had it since I was 18. I am also old so that doesn’t help.”

Maggie turned her head and looked at her father, “dad you are not old, stop talking rubbish,” she shook her head and reached into his lap and broke off a piece of his hand and ate it. Gasping, Louis covered his mouth as Maggie turned her head to hid a giggle from her father and from Mr. Harry.

Standing up, Harry checked his watch and saw that he had ten minutes till the show began, “I am heading to the toilets, is there anyone who needs to go for we aren’t going to be able to go until intermission,” he announced as a handful of the class got up from there seats and made there way down the row and with Harry. He counted them quickly and headed back out to the toilets. Louis took a deep breath in, closing his eyes behind his glasses he did his best to calm his racing heart. Opening his eyes he looked up and tried to focus on the architecture of the theater.

The seats are that old red that you would see back in the day. He told himself just to keep his mind busy. I wonder if they replace it or just clean it. And the fact I just asked myself this is a whole other concern that I should be dealing with. He shook his head as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around he saw one of the mothers sitting behind him smile.

“Hiya,” Louis said not sure if there was something on his sports coat or if she needed to inform him about something.

The blonde woman with a low cut black top leaned forward towards Louis, her teeth were white and straight, her makeup was a bit to much and he knew it was trying to hide her actually age. “We haven’t been introduced,” she said extending her hand, “I’m Kaitlin. Zander’s mother. Single. Newly single to be exact.”

Louis pressed his lips together and shook her hand though he wasn’t sure what to say to her. “Hiya,” he said again not sure what else she wanted to him say. Well he did, he just wanted to ignore it for he didn’t want to have to out himself right then and there to the parents in Maggie's class. He didn’t want to have to do anything with her. Trying to turn around where he hand was placed on his shoulder and her long nails moved over his sports jacket.

“You new to London?”

He couldn’t stop the eye roll as he turned and looked at her, the words he wanted to say was to just tear her down to make her stop but he was in public, and with kids around him. “No, I have lived in London since I was in Uni,” he informed her as his eyes looked at the door leaving the theater and prayed that every person who walked in was Harry to save him.

“Shame,” she said pressing her arms in towards her chest to make her chest puff out a bit. Louis was done with the conversation, as he tried to turn around for the second time he froze as she spoke again, “are you single?”

Louis almost choked on his tongue. “Excuse me?” he asked spinning around, her brow was scrunched together as he heard the orchestra start to warm up. The entire theater seemed to grow a bit louder as those in there talked a bit louder as to be heard over the music.

“Single?”

Move Tommo. Turn around and be done with this. Where the FOOK IS HARRY!? Louis said internally as felt as if his chest was about to explode and he was going to lose it on his woman. “Why is it of any interest to you?” he asked doing his best to phrase it in way that was better than ‘mind your own fooking buisness you bat shit crazy woman.’

She smiled, her arm extended as she was about to play his Louis hair he jerked forward. “I am single, and if you were single I thought we could… be friends.”

Louis tried not to shudder as she said those words, “Yes, but sadly I think you are barking up the wrong tree,” he told her as he turned around and prayed that she wouldn’t bother him again. Lord, Niall is going to have a field day when I tell him about this, Louis thought to himself as took a bite of his Toblerone into his mouth. “So when is the show supposed to start?” Louis asked almost to himself as a body sat down next to him.

“Any minute,” Harry said as he walked back with the students that went to the toilets with him. Louis mouthed ‘Help Me’ as Harry sat down. “So, I know that you wanted to help with the Nativity play…” Harry trailed off, “I’m sorry did I interrupt a conversation?”

“Not at all,” Kaitlin said as she sat back in her chair and finished off the over prices small glass of wine. Louis gave him a grateful look as he held up his Toblerone. Shrugging, Harry broke off two pieces, popping one into his mouth he settled into his seat as the orchestra finished their warm up meaning the show was going to begin shortly.

“Have you and Maggie seen a lot of shows?” Harry asked as he finished chewing the second piece of Toblerone.

Louis nodded, “We have seen a handful in New York as well as Chicago,” he said not wanting to sound to full of himself. “I feel that there is something that each show can teach you at any age and the brilliant thing is, it can be something different for each person watching.”

Harry felt as if Louis took the words right out of his mouth as he spoke. The man was something else, while most of those parents see him as a single dad, or a piece of meat to try and date there was a complex person behind the face of Louis Tomlinson, and just when Harry though he understood this man another layer was pulled back and he saw a new facet of him, his personality and how he thinks.

“My parents were the same way, they loved to drive up to London and we would spend a weekend, me, my sister and them. We would eat fancy food, and see a show, or a play or a concert. Sometimes we would just go walk around and my mom would give us personal historical tours of the city,” he explained to him as he remembered when he was younger. “It was a lot of fun. I tried to do a trip like that with my ex but he never understood.”

Louis furrowed his brow, “then it’s a good thing you aren’t with them anymore. I think that if you can’t appreciate this,” Louis said as he pointed to the stage, “then your parents failed epicly.”

Covering his mouth Harry tried not to laugh out loud he shook his head as he felt a curl slip from the gel and fall to the side of his face.

“I’m just saying,” Louis told him as his voice moving to a whisper as the prerecorded voice came through the theater asking them to silence all mobiles and to please be courteous of those around them. “But this show has been on our list for a good while now,” Louis finished saying as the lights in the theater dimmed and the orchestra began to play to overlude. Leaning over towards Maggie, Louis placed his head close to her ear and whispered, “you ready?”

She looked up at him, “I can’t wait for the Tardis reference,” she said her eyes big and bright as she turned back as the curtains opened and the show began.

•••

“That was amazing?” Maggie said as they walked into the restaurant for lunch. “Dad wasn’t that just - dad the last song and the set!” She wasn’t even able to get a full sentence out without stopping and moving onto the next one on how amazing the show was. It had been like this the entire walk from the theater to the restaurant,

Louis had to agree with his daughter, the show was amazing, half the time he felt as if his mouth was on the ground as he watched the show and his mind was blown away and mesmerized but what was going on and the talent of those children that were up on that stage.

“I also like your choice of shirt you go,” Louis said as he held up his daughter’s bag as they entered the back room where the tables were for all of them. He watched as his daughter hesitated a bit to go and sit with her father, “go with your friends, I’m a big boy and can eat with Mr. Harry,” he said with a wink as she gave her father a thumbs up and headed over by where Ashley was saving a seat for her. Louis then turned to find where he was going to sit - god it felt like A levels all over again. To his relief Harry was sitting down and there was a chair next to him, and it was far away from Kaitlin.

“Well, I think that you had a very successful outing,” Louis said as he sat down next to Harry. “Everyone in my group is properly in love with the show,” he told him. “Was anyone sitting here?”

Harry shook his head, “no, just you.”

Smiling, he set the bag down on the ground and shrugged his jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair. The restaurant that Harry had chosen (and the school had approved) was this small farm to table restaurant that if Louis had to guess is what Harry’s flat looked like (and if he was being honest what his and Maggie’s flat looked like).

The wood floors were worn, but not in a bad way. The tables were all different sizes and shapes, and the chairs looked as if they closed their eyes and stole the ones they liked from houses around the area. The walls were a white with photographs of London and other parts of the world on them, along with fun cheeky sings as well. The water glasses were all different, and the entire vibe of the restaurant was relaxed which was perfect for a class full of eight year olds.

“That was a truly inspiring to show these kids that they can do anything no matter what there age is,” Louis said as he looked at the menu and tried to decide what he wanted. “I knew it was going to be that way from the soundtrack but seeing it was just a whole other experience.”

Smiling, Harry set his menu down, “now you get the whole point,” Harry said as he tapped his nose. “Sometimes it is hard for parents to see that there is more than a doctor, or a teacher, or a job that you will learn about sitting in a traditional classroom. While that is frowned up I don’t really mind.”

Louis shrugged, “they can deal,” he told him as he opened up the menu and looked to see what he was going to order. “I’m sure that on the way home and all this week we will be listening to the musical soundtrack at home.”

Harry looked up from the menu, for a second he forgot that he was here with a school trip and he was the teacher. All he cared about was talking with Louis and hearing his laugh. “My flatmate has been dealing with that for a week now and I’m sure he wants to kill me. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I can’t sing to save my life but I don’t care, I do it anyway.”

“You should hear me and Maggs in the car,” Louis went on as he glanced up and locked eyes with Harry, “she can carry a tune better than I can but we don’t even care, we just go mental singing to whatever is on my iPod, or in the flat. When we cook Sunday night with my sister we end up having a mini rock concert… and I’m sorry to bore you with this,” he said as he couldn’t stop himself from talking. “I will now look and the menu and you can listen to a much more interesting conversation.”

Shaking his head, Harry leaned over and pointed to a dish, “this one is good,” he said about the chicken pasta dish and then he pointed to the vegan burger, “that one is good as well even if you aren’t vegan it is amazing,” he explained and then he pointed to pulled pork, “but if you like BBQ this is the route to go.”

“Come here a lot?” Louis asked with a small laugh as he glanced over at Harry.

He shrugged, “my mate owns the place so yes and no, my flatmate and I are usually the ones who try new dishes before he adds them to the menu.”

“Get it!” Louis laughed. “That is amazing, my mate Niall would love that job. The man can eat his body weight in food and not gain a single pound, in Uni he would just pound down the food and then two hours later go and get food with me. The man in a real life Hobbit. I kid you not,” Louis laughed as he watched Harry’s mouth get wide, his teeth showing as his eyes squinted and let out a laugh that sounded like a burst from his chest. Harry quickly covered her mouth and held the menu over his face as Louis giggled and covered his face with his hands as the parents turned to look at them as if they were kids misbehaving at the table.

“You are a bad influence on me Louis,” Harry said his face still hidden behind the menu. Louis felt a bit a pride as he looked through his hands and was please that all eyes were no longer on him. Clearing his throat he turned his attention back to the menu still not sure what to get. “What are you going to eat?” he asked Harry as he finally came out of hiding, his face showing hints of red from embarrassment.

“I should get a salad,” Harry said his eyes glancing over the menu. “But I'm going to get the pulled pork plate thing with the mac and cheese,” he said please with his choice. Louis turned and watched as Maggie looked over the menu, her face was serious as she tried to decide on what to eat, and just like him she was fully concentrated on what was in front of her. Only looking up if someone was to say her name and speak to her directly.

“She ate lunch the other day with Ashley,” Harry told him as looked in the direction of Louis’s eyes. “It was partially due to the fact I had a conference with a parent. But she came back and was smiling and talking with Ashley.”

“Good,” Louis said. “She has been gaining weekly to see Doctor Lawson.”

Harry set his menu down, and moved his chair closer to the table, “it shows that it's helping,” Harry assured him as the waiter came over to them. “Can I have a water please and the pork platter with the mac and cheese and then the asparagus as well.” The waiter jotted down the order and turned his attention to Louis.

“Umm, this,” he said pointing to the burger made of a few different kinds of meat. “And a fizzy drink,” he added as the ability to talk just left him and his mind was blank. This isn't a date Tomlinson pull yourself together and stop acting like a dumb idiot. He said to himself. “And some bruschetta.”

He nodded and walked over to where the class was sitting to get there order. “I don't mean to be nosy about Maggie. I hope that you know that,” Harry continued to say as another server brought bread to the table.

“You care, I can tell the difference,” he assured him as he grabbed a slice and tore it in half. “How is the arm?” He asked as he put part of the bread into his mouth and chewed. Now the nervous eating. Calm the fook down! He told himself taking a deep breath in. Harry made a face as he pulled up his jumper sleeve and dress shirt and showed that it was still bandaged up.

Harry made a face and Louis wasn’t sure if it was to show that it hurt or that he was just disgusted by how it looked at the moment. “It's kind of popped and then it like refilled - sorry if that is gross.”

Louis chuckled, “you should see what I see daily, talking about a burn that blistered filling back up is child's play,” he explained as he tapped his arm, Harry lifted it up on the table as Louis unbuttoned his shirt sleeved and rolled it up to take a look at it. His hands gingerly removed the tape and lifted up the gauze to get a better look. “If you want stop by the A&E tomorrow, I have a short shift in the morning and I can drain it for you and bandage it back,” he said as he pressed with his index and pointer finger on the surrounding skin. “Does that hurt?”

Harry shook his head.

“Good, that happens with burns like that - so no need to worry.”

“Ta,” he said. “I'm assuming I'll have a scar there?”

“Semi, but it will fade over time, as long as you keep it covered and don't pull off the skin.”

Harry cringed.

“Sorry, I have a stomach of steel.”

“I can tell,” he laughed as Louis let go of his arm and Harry pulled his sleeve back down. “Why I could never be a doctor.”

“I'm just a nurse,” he reminded him putting his napkin on his lap as he saw the waiter walking towards them with his appetizer.

Rolling his eyes Harry just looked at Louis, “doesn't make it less extraordinary,” he said as the waiter came back with their drinks and Louis bruschetta.

“Want some?” Louis asked for that was all his mind could think to say. He pushed the plate towards Harry.

•••

Louis’s body jolted awake as the bus ran over a pothole in the road. Looking up he saw that Harry was on his mobile, and that the kids were all in the back of the bus and cheered as they pulled into the car park at the school. Rubbing his eyes, he slid his glasses on the top of his head and then stretched his arms over his head, his back cracking as he gave a slight yawn.

“Morning sleeping beauty,” Harry said as Louis narrowed his eyes and shook his head as he popped his head over the backrest he went to see where Maggie was. “She is sitting with Ashley,” Harry said as he sat back down and leaned against the side of the bus and the window. “Have a nice nap?”

Another yawn left his mouth as Louis nodded his head, covering the yawn with the back of his hand he waited until he finished to speak. “Yes, I have this habit where I can fall asleep wherever I am if I’m not driving,” he admitted to him. “I don’t know if it’s from Uni or working the hours I did, or from raising Maggs.”

“I would say all three,” Harry told him as he sat up straight to stretch out his back before he stood up and addressed the bus. “Class,” he said as he put his finger on his nose and the bus grew quiet as they followed suit and waited for him to speak again. “When we get back to the school, I would like you all to head to the classroom and I can let you know what needs to be done for Monday and then you can head to your parent’s and go home,” he said as there was a cheer as the bus came to a stop. “Make sure that you look around your feet and if there is any rubbish please collect it and toss it in the bin before we walk back into school,” Harry said to them as the kids began to pick up the trash around their feet from napkins and playbills. “Also, I think we should thank Ms. Shirley for her lovely driving,” he added as the kids began to file out one by one, each of them thanking the bus driver before heading back to their classroom.

Harry waited and counted each student as they walked past him, Harry gathered up his jacket along with the bag that housed Maggie’s shirt and his coffee mug that he had gotten at the show. Standing up he watched the parents left and he helped Harry pick up the rubbish as he did a final sweep of the bus before they both got off and headed to the classroom.

“Are you free to go once we all leave or do you have to stay and be a proper teacher for a few hours?”

“A bit of both,” he admitted, “I have some stuff I need to get done and it is easier to get it done here with fewer distractions that it is at home to be honest,” admitted Harry as his boots clicked on the tile floor of the school. “But once I get home it will be shower, some telly and sleep.”

Louis agreed with him, “gotta get home so I can make dinner for us tonight,” he said as they turned the corner and headed down the hallway to his class. He could see from afar that the kids were in the classroom and the parents that went to the show were done and ready to go home. “I’m not sure if anyone has said this,” Louis said as they almost reached the classroom, “but that you for setting this up for the kids and for the entire day. It was honestly the best field trip and something I know Maggie will never forget.”

Harry felt his heart beat a bit faster from the compliment, “thank you,” he said as he slowed down walking to the room. “And thank you for all that you did, I’m sure that your group had the best time hands down.”

Louis shrugged, he just wanted to make sure the kids had a fun time, and while it took candies and water it was worth it. As both men reached the room Harry headed to the front of the class while Louis stepped over to the side and stood with the rest of the parents as they waited to see what Harry had to say before they all went home for the weekend. The kids still had their jackets on and sat there, eyes wide and they waited to see if they got any homework or if they were free this weekend.

“I want to thank all the parents who came with us today,” Harry began, as he unbuttoned his jacket, but never fully took it off, he leaned against his desk and smiled at all his students whom he had been very pleased with today. “I also want to thank you as a class for being young adults while out and representing the school as we should.” Harry watched as the students all smiled and looked at each other happy with what he had just said. His face went from fun to serious, his eyes turned and looked at the class, “now for this weekend I have a very important and very hard assignment,” he said.

There was a groan throughout the glass and some of the kids even had their heads drop in fear of what Harry was going to tell them.

“I know, but I think that you lot are so brilliant that you can do it,” he said to them as they were silent. Louis tried not to smiled, but he could see the edge of Harry’s lip trying to stay serious when all he wanted to do was smile. “I want you to go home and to decide what you are going to be for halloween and bring to the party,” he said as the kids all began to yell and say that he was mean for doing that to them. Maggie sat at her desk and smiled and gave her teacher a thumbs up for the costume thinking department. “Now,” he looked to see the parents were standing outside by the door, “go and enjoy the rest of your day and the weekend and see you on Monday.”

The sound of chairs moving across the floor filled the room as the kids waved goodbye to Harry and left the room to reunite with their parents and go home. Those parents who had helped with the show were as quick to leave as their students. Louis and Maggie were soon the only ones in the room. Louis stood by the side and waited for his daughter to say goodbye to her beloved teacher.

Getting up from her desk Maggie headed over to Harry who was standing by his desk, laying his jacket his finally good off on the coat stand he kept in his classroom. “Thanks for today Mr. Harry,” Maggie said as she walked up and gave him a hug. “I am truly happy that you are my teacher.”

“I am truly glad that you are in my class,” he said to her as he gave her a hug back. “And thank you again Louis,” he said as Louis walked over to where his daughter wasl. “It's nice to have a parent who shows that they care and doesn't feel it taboo.”

“Never understood why it would be,” he admitted. “My mum and dad were always encouraging me and my sister to do our best in school and get the best marks.”

“It's good to know some are raised properly,” Harry joked as he tried not to hard to flirt with him in front of Maggie. “You still want to help with the Halloween party even after this? Most parents do one lesser of the two evils and then avoid me like the plague.”

Louis snorted as he laughed. His face went from bright red to white as Louis covered his face from embarrassment. Maggie snickered as she watched her father get so embarrassed. “No, I'm coming,” Louis said moving his hands from his face, “I have my costume ready, it's this one,” he said as Maggie smiled showing all of her teeth, “she has a whole section of her closet of costumes thanks to my sister.”

“Did she buy them?” he asked Louis as he walked over and gathered up the leftover doughnuts to bring them home and toss them in his freezer.

Louis shook his head, “no she is graduating with a degree in design and theater. She wasn't to be a costume designer for stage shows.”

Harry's eyes grew wide, “that's amazing!”

“So when she wants to try new stuff she makes clothes for Maggie, and then uses her as a model,” explained Louis as Harry tossed a few doughnuts into a bag and handed them to Louis. He cocked his head but Harry turned away to ignore his face. Harry laughed as there was a knock on his door from Liam. He watched his eyes get wide and his entire face looked like a deer in headlights.

“We better get going,” Louis said quickly as he headed towards the door. “Ready?”

“Ready Freddy,” Maggie said as she left the room. “Bye Mr. Harry,” she said turning around and waving. “Bye coach Payne!” She said as Louis left the classroom. The glass door shut and both Tomlinson’s headed to the car that was parked around the side of the school. Harry continued to clean up as Liam stood there, he had a grin plastered onto his face, and his hands were crossed over his chest as he waited for Harry to acknowledge his face.

“Don't you have a class to teach?” He asked as he turned and looked at Liam who was being annoying.

“Nope!” Liam said as he made a popping sound after the word. “Was that him?”

“Shut up,” Harry said trying to sound angry but it came out not.

“Oh fuck it was,” Liam said as he ran over t the window to see if he could get another look. “He was cute.”

“Go away,” Harry said as he tried to ignore Liam.

Liam turned around and looked at his friend, he wanted to take a picture and use it one day when he was acting this stupid again about Louis but he refrained. “Mate,” he said walking over to Harry who just stood there by his desk. “If you check the code of conduct for teachers there is no rule that says you can't ask a parent out. Diane teaches her kid - what do you have to lose?”

“My dignity.”

“Harry stop,” Liam said as he put his hands on his shoulders and looked at Harry. “What is stopping you?”

“Me.”

“The past is the past. It's there to remind us not to stop us. What happened with you and cock face made you a stronger human. If he is anything like Maggie than he is one hell of a man and you should say something.”

Harry was about to open his mouth.

“He was flirting with you H. So just grow a pair and say something or I will.”

“No.”

A laughed left Liam’s lips and it was that of a Super Villain who had a plan to kill the entire city and that would actually work. Harry’s face flashed white and he knew that his friend was serious and he was seriously fucked.

“I hate you Payne,” he said pushing Liam away as he walked to his desk to pack up. “No doughnuts for you.”

“Cold Harry. Just cold,” he said as his trainers walked across the tile and out of Harry’s classroom. Leaving him alone to think of what he wanted to do. Taking a seat at his desk Harry let out a sigh and ran his hands over his face as he wasn’t sure what to do. He had been flirting with Louis, hell he was about to jump the man and snog him the way he made him laugh at lunch. When he was with him, he felt like a child, he felt as if he had a second wind in life and he could do anything and everything he wanted to do in life. More than that, the way he was with the kids made his heart swell.

Was Liam right? Was Harry actually going to listen to Liam? Fuck it all. Harry said as he opened up his laptop and pulled up his email. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but he was. He wasn’t going to stop, he was going to ‘grow a pair’ as Liam had suggested. He was going to vomit from fear as well. As soon as his email pulled up, his long fingers moved across the keys as he decided to do something that was so 90’s and compose an email.

  
_**To** : ltomlinson@gmail.com_  
 _ **From** : hestyles@gmail.com  
_ _ **Subject** : Coffee?_

_Dear Louis,_   
_While this might seem forward I was wondering if you would want to get a cup of coffee some time after work? I enjoyed your company today and I hope the feel was mutual._

Harry sat back and cringed at the email. He had always been rubbish at the whole ‘professional email’ thing and he read it back and it sounded like a robot had typed it. Smiling and laughing internally Harry erased the email and began to type a new one.

_Louis,_

_From the moment I met you I was captivated by you. I had been hesitant to say anything for I wasn't sure if it would be recorded but I’m saying FUCK IT! Would you want to go and get coffee or dinner. As in a date. A very real actual date. While my world might shatter if you don't I understand I'm your daughters teach and hell - you might not even be gay. Just email me back. Or call. And don't read much into it. A first date doesn't lead to sex. At least they didn't last time I had a date._

Harry shook his head as he was pleased but knew he was never going to send that draft. His hand moved over the mouse pad as he was about to erase it another email popped up. As he went to click it he heard the swish.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” He hissed as he went back and saw that the message had sent. Standing up Harry calmly shut his laptop. Stood up and headed out of his room and towards Liam’s office and then after he died there he was going to go and walk I front of a bus.

•••

“Going to use the toilet,” Louis said as he stood up from the table at the restaurant he was at with Maggie and Charlie. Since Louis didn’t have to work and Charlie was done with her classes early Louis and Maggie drove out to her for dinner. She wanted to hear all about the play and Maggie had given her a frame by frame description of the show from costumes, set, lighting and cast. She had enjoyed it and Louis had talked mainly about Harry. Something else that Charlie enjoyed to hear about - but knowing her brother she wasn’t going to point out that he was talking about Harry for the fear of him shutting down and denying it all.

“Use my card to pay,” he said sternly pulling his billfold out and handing his sister his chip and pin card. She just rolled her eyes but would listen to her brother. Louis slid the billfold back into his pocket and headed to the toilets.

“Aunt Charlie,” Maggie said her voice low as he watched to make sure that her dad didn't come back or could hear. “Guess what?” Charlotte set down her fork and look at her niece, her blue eyes were wide and her face seemed to be glowing with some sort of exciting news. Resting her elbows on the table she leaned forward to hear what Maggie had to say.

“My dad has a crush on Mr. Harry!”

Charlotte wasn't sure if she should deny this for the sake of her brother or praise a million angles. Possibly both. Her eyes were wide as she tried to find the words but all she could do was sit there and not burst I from the table and start to dance.

“But don't tell him that I know. I don't want him to stop liking him because I know.”

Leaning over she kissed Maggie on the top of her head and gave her shoulders a squeeze. Maggie tilted her head and looked up at her aunt, confused by her actions. “I promise to keep it a secret,” she said trying not to be too giddy but she couldn't help it.

“Good,” she said her brow furrowed as she looked at her aunt with a seriousness to her face as the waiter came and Charlie handed him the card to pay. As he headed off Louis made his way back to the table, his body throbbing from the day and anxious to get back home, strip out of these clothes and into his joggers and veg out in front of the Telly after Maggs went to sleep. “So, I have a favor to ask,” Charlotte said as she boxed up her leftovers and Louis took the bill from the waiter to sign the check.

“Got a patch for the li-lo so it should be up and running for you,” he said reading his sister's mind as he signed the check and stood up and slipped his jacket on. “Marci again?”

She nodded slipping on her hunter green zip up army jacket as they grabbed the food and headed out of the restaurant. “I have a bag packed if we can swing by my flat?”

“Ta,” Louis said as he pushed the door to the restaurant open and the sky was changing from the sunset to black. “But this one needs sleep,” he said as Maggie shook her head and walked beside her father. “I think that she was up before 4 am to get ready and make sure that I was ready to get to school on time today,” he said as he smiled at his daughter and she rolled her eyes at her father as they walked over to the car.

“It's Friday dad,” she reminded him. “Can we get ice cream and build a fort to sleep in?”

“We will start fort building when your dad showers,” Charlie said as Louis gave her a thankful smile and unlocked the car. “I think that we have some other sweets we can find and have some sort of desert as well.”

Maggie smiled at her aunt as she got into the back of the car, buckling up she shut the door as her aunt and dad both sat down in their seats. Louis buckled up, putting the key into the ignition he started the car and made his way to his sister’s flat. He knew they were going to his some traffic but he was never going to deny his sister from spending the night. Pulling up to her flat Charlie hopped out of the car, running up the front steps and into the flat. She was in there for less than three minutes and as she made her way back to the car her eyes were wide as if she saw something that she didn’t want to see. He opened the boot, Charlie tossed her bag in there, shut the boot and got back into the car. He made no comment about her face, shifting from P to D he made his way back home.

By the time they arrived home Maggie had gone from full energy to about 70%. Just enough to build a fort and go to bed. As they climbed the steps Maggie took the key and ran ahead of them, “use the blankets from the closet in the hallway love!” Louis called out as his sister headed up and he walked over to get his mail. Pulling his mobile out he saw a few texts from Niall. A few from work and then an email from Harry. Stopping he unlocked his mobile and pulled up the email. Confused by the topic he opened it up anyway. His eyes moved left to right and read the words that Harry had sent. His heart seemed to stop for a few moments and then pick up only to be racing faster than he had ever had it race before. He blinked a few times and read it to make sure he was hallucinating.

It was still here.

 _Okay. Okay. Breathe. Don't freak out just yet. Can you even date him? Will Maggie be okay with it? Niall and Char are going to have fooking heart attacks when they find out._ Louis out his hand on his chest, it felt as if he was having a heart attack as he stood there - even though that he knows he wasn't having one - maybe it was a panic attack or it was just a dream and he was going to wake up now.

“I will fall and I will wake up,” Louis said as he stood up tall and leaned backwards. As his body did so he felt his body jerk in the reaction to falling and as his eyes widened up the next thing he knew he was looking up at the water damaged ceiling and his back was on the navy blue rug. “I am awake,” he said sitting up and deciding to reply to the email when he saw that another email came in from Harry.

 _ **To** : ltomlinson@gmail.com _  
_**From** : hestyles@gmail.com_  
 _ **Subject** : Coffee?_

_Mr. Tomlinson,_   
_I am so sorry for the other email. It wasn’t my intent to send you that email, it was a silly draft and it sent because the universe hates me. Please forgive me. But if you would still be interested I would still like to get coffee. But I can understand._   
_H. Styles._

Feeling better Louis hit the arrow and decided to reply to Harry. Whilst he rather reply to the first one he understood why he had sent the second one. His fingers moved over the phone as he typed out his message back to him, not thinking but saying what first came to his head.

  
_**To** : hestyles@gmail.com_  
_**From** : ltomlinson@gmail.com_  
 _ **RE**. Coffee?_

_Harold,  
While the second email was more formal I truly enjoyed the first one more. It has been many years since I have been in the flirting game, and or dating game so I am warning you - like a preface to a book that I’m rusty. I’m not sure what the social cues are now. As shocking as it seems I haven’t had much time to date but I would love to get a cup of coffee. Or dinner. Or something else that constitutes as a date. Or just to get coffee and get to know each other more. So whenever you are free, and want to let me know. You can text me since I feel that email this is weird in general and we aren’t in the 90’s._

_(020) 5555-7891_

_Have a fantastic weekend,  
Lousis_.

Hitting send he put his mobile into pocket and pushed himself up off the floor of the lobby and headed up the steps. He wasn’t going to tell Maggie about this. Hell, he wasn’t even going to tell Charlotte about this. For this moment he was going to keep this to himself, he wasn’t sure how Harry was going to react when he found out about Louis past. Louis loved his daughter to much and to have her grow even more attached to Harry in a non scholastic way and it not work out would kill Louis more than the relationship with Harry not working out. His feet reached the top of the landing as he saw the fort being constructed and Doctor Who was on the telly.

“I’m going to shower and then I will be ready to sleep!” he called out shutting and locking the flat door as his daughter’s head popped up from in between two of the blankets. “Is it girls only?”

“No, we are making it so you can sleep on the couch,” she said as her head disappeared as she got back to work with Charlotte. Checking his phone to see if Harry had texted him he made his way up to his shower, to undress from the day and go to bed, even if it meant sleeping on the couch and his back killing him in the morning, he was never too old to pass up on sleeping in a kick ass fort.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, one of the kids in this chapter is named from a character in one of my favorite guilt pleasure movies (: If anyone can guess it right I will post another chapter this week!


	7. Session 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This next week coming up I'm going to be all over the place with crazy work hours and leaving for a mini vacation. So I wanted to get this chapter posted and I will do what I can to work on the next one in my spare time between work and packing. If anything I will get the most of my writing for the next few chapters done while on a plane to Texas. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you all for reading!

Maggie pulled her feet up up onto the couch, her knees to her chest as she sat across from Doctor Lawson as he had his legal pad on his lap. His hands were folded on top as he waited for Maggie to get settled. Just like last time he was in a tweed jacket, simple trousers and button up dress shirt. His tie though had pumpkins on them, it didn't find his outfit but Maggie liked it. Made him seem human and not just a doctor. Maggie's curls were pulled up in a high ponytail and she was more casual this time around, with her leggings and t-shirt with a jean shirt over it all.

“How are you Maggie?” he asked her as she smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. “I don’t get anything but a thumbs up?” he laughed as Maggie shrugged.

The sun shown through the window, the fall breeze blew outside and whilst Maggie didn't mind sitting in here and talking she wanted to break out and enjoy this Saturday afternoon with her dad out in London. She wanted to get a hot chocolate and enjoy the fall. A season she missed living in such warm weather the past two years of her life. 

“It was good,” she told him tapping her knees with her hands. “I went and saw _Matilda_ yesterday with my class. My dad came with,” she explained to him as he picked up his cup and took a sip of his tea. “It was a lot of fun, I wanted to see the show for a long time and I enjoyed it. I also made a friend at school.”

Doctor Lawson raised his brow.

“My dad had the same look,” Maggie admitted to him with a smile as she turned towards the window. “I can make friends. I just. These people are different,” she explained to him. “They are happy with the friends that they have and don’t want new ones. But Ashley is nice. She even invited me over on Sunday.”

“Are you going?” he asked her as Maggie kept her eyes out the window. She paused, he watched as her face went from soft to hard and her eyes were locked on the tree branch. He waited, he could see that she wanted to talk about it but it was going to take her awhile to get there.

She nodded. “My dad has to work so my Aunt is going to bring me,” she explained to him. “Well he has to work in the morning, he will be home at 4 to make dinner. But I feel bad that I have to miss dinner being that I always have Sunday dinners with him,” she explained to Doctor Lawson. “But he said it was okay and I know it is.”

“Your father loves you, and know that whilst you have dinner on Sunday nights that he won’t be upset with you missing it this time around,” explained Doctor Lawson. “Sometimes it’s okay to forgo something once in awhile for other things in life.”

Maggie nodded, she wanted to roll her eyes for she knew that. But that wasn't why she didn't want to spend all day there. “I know. But, I,” she paused, pursing her lips together she turned her attention to Doctor Lawson, “it’s the one time I know each week that I get to spend with me dad and aunt and I feel bad acting like it doesn’t matter to me. I know it matters to me dad and Charlie and just. It’s the one thing that hasn’t changed since my mum died.”

Doctor  Lawson nodded his head, jotting a few things down on his paper, “Has your father ever said anything?”

She shook her head no. 

“How do you know that then?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted to him, her voice small as she spoke. “I just feel it, in here,” she said as she took her hand and pressed on her chest. “Even when my mum was sick we would sit at the kitchen table Sunday and enjoy dinner even when she had bad days.”

“Did your grandparents ever come from your mums side?”

Maggie’s eyes grew wide as she shook her head no forcefully. Doctor Lawson tried not to laugh as she kept shaking her head and her shocked look went to disgusted thinking about her grandparents from that side caring. “Not to be rude,” she said to him, “but they hated us, and whilst people say hate is a strong word, they detested my dad. Like,” she paused and choose her words carefully, “they truly never loved my dad and they never wanted to see me or talk to me for they saw something they didn’t want.”

“How did that make you feel when they came around?”

“They didn’t,” she said, “I mean, they did when my mum got sicker. But you can see when someone hates you the way they look at you. I didn’t mind. I mean, it made me sad for it made my mum and dad sad but they loved me and that’s what mattered.”

“You seem wise above your years.”

“I guess I grew up when my mum died, and when we lived all over the place,” she explained to Mr. Lawson. “I am okay with that. I really am, and I know that sometimes people think I’m lying but I’m not.”

Setting his pen down, Doctor Lawson leaned forward, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Maggie, “Just because you say something doesn’t mean it be true,” he reminded her as he leaned back in his chair.

“I love the life I have. Whilst it has been sad at times it had also been very happy. My mum would always tell me that when we have hard times it is so that we can learn and then go on and help others who are going through the same troubles and help them.”

“Wise words.”

“My mum was very wise,” she added with a smile as she slid her legs down and crossed them like a pretzel and sat straight up. Her hands resting in her lap as she looked at Doctor Lawson. She was a brave young girl, very serious and sullen at times when she spoke about certain things in her life, and other times he face would light up like that of a child of her age.

“Did a lot of things change when you mum grew sick?”

Maggie nodded, “yes,” she paused, “not at first. She was still healthy, and she was able to walk around, and we had fun and it was nice that she wasn’t working as much. But she soon got really sick. It was harder for her to walk, her face changed. She turned grey and then she had to stay in bed with a nurse and my dad.”

Making a few notes, Doctor Lawson adjusted himself in his seat.

Maggie adjusted herself on the couch. “I didn’t like seeing my mum die. She always smiled. My dad always smiled. It took him a long time to smile again after she died.”

“And yourself?”

“I have days where I wish she was here just so my dad will smile and laugh again like he use to. Like we all use to. Sometimes he does. He has more recently,” she admitted to him not sure if she should speak about her finding about her father to him. She knew that her Aunt would keep it a secret but she wasn't sure about Doctor Lawson. She didn't know him well enough, and while he was a doctor she felt that since she was still young he told her father what they talked about. 

Now Doctor Lawson was even more intrigued, “how so?” he asked her. Maggie took a deep breath in, and her face lit up as she began to speak. 

“Mr. Harry makes me smile and laugh.”

Blinking a few times, Doctor Lawson furrowed his brow, sitting forward the chair creaked a bit and his shoes fell on the carpet and his heels on the wood floor. “Mr. Harry is your teacher… isn’t he?”

“Yep,” she said her eyes now looking at the bookcase. "And I think that he is like my dad."

“So you don’t mind that your father is gay?” he then added, "or that he might have a crush on your teacher?"

Turning her head she gave Doctor Lawson a confused look, one that he wasn’t sure he was going to get an answer from at this point. “No. Why would I?”

“Some people do.”

“Then they are stupid,” she said. “Not saying that you are - I don’t care. If my dad is happy then I am happy. Everyone has the right be to happy with someone they love. And sometimes you love someone so much that you help them become a mum.”

“I agree,” Doctor Lawson agreed. “There are different forms of love out there Maggie, and it’s good that you can see that whilst some of us can’t.” Standing up from his chair he grabbed his mug and walked over to make another cuppa. “So, how do you feel about Mr. Harry making your father smile again?”

“Good, but it’s more than that. I know, and when I saw this I mean it. It is not me wishing it so much that it happens,” she reminded him as he put the kettle on, turning he watched as she moved again on the couch, her feet now hung over the front, her toes barely touching the floor. “I noticed when my dad went and met Mr. Harry and they walked about me in his class.”

“What did they say?”

“I’m smart and I’m rubbish at maths. But that isn’t the point right now,” she said waving her hand and brushing off what Harry had told her as if she didn’t care if people thought she was smart or not. “No, Mr. Harry made my dad laugh for the first time in a long while. Yes, I can make him laugh and we would laugh and stupid things and people. But this was a different laugh,” she went on to explain to him. “It was a deep laugh, the kind when you like someone and you can’t help but laughing.”

“There is a difference?”

“Yes,” she told him her face flat as he tried hard not to laugh as the way her entire face was just flat as she told him. “And I was happy. He was happy and we had pancakes for dinner. He would casually talk about Mr. Harry with my Aunt when I was in my room. Then my dad was at work and Mr. Harry went to the A&E.”

Doctor Lawson set his tea bag into his cup and listened as she went on to explain her father’s flirting life, and from the view of an eight year old it was the most matter of fact telling that he had ever heard. He was sure to children getting excited if there mother or father found a new partner, or they talked about their dream partner for their mum and dad. They talked about these fairy-tale ideas when Maggie was - she was Maggie. When she spoke about something that was important to her she didn’t embellish. She kept it to the truth and simple. “What happened?”

“He was making cookies and he burnt his arm on the oven. I’ve seen my dad do it before. So my dad helped patch him up. He came home and whilst he didn’t tell me much I heard him and my Aunt talking. She joked that she liked him and he tried to deny it but you - you know when you know something is true and when you try and sat it’s not but your voice cracks and your faces gives you away?”

Doctor Lawson nodded his head.

“It was like that with him. I didn’t want to get to excited for I now wanted it a lot.”

“Your dad to like Mr. Harry?”

She nodded her head.

“What has made you so sure now?” he asked her, “you aren’t one to jump to conclusions. You always have facts to back up your claims, what made you so sure that your father like Mr. Styles?”

“ _Matilda_.”

“Ahh,” he said as the kettle whistles. Picking it up he added the water to his mug. Setting the kettle back down he walked back over to his chair, taking a seat he settled in he motioned for Maggie to continue her thought.

“My dad was nice, he got us in his group candy and water. But when we got to the classroom he was making small talk with Mr. Harry. And then on the bus ride there he laughed, joked around with him. The musical they sat by each other, and Mr. Harry seemed to be just as happy as my dad,” pausing she slid to the edge of the couch, her feet now laying flat on the ground. “But it wasn’t until the restaurant.”

“What happened?”

“The way my dad was making Mr. Harry laugh, and the way that Mr. Harry was looking at my dad is the way that My Aunt Areyna looks at my Uncle Niall. It’s a look that they are smitten and they like each other.”

Doctor Lawson said nothing. Maggie looked at him, her eyes just looked at him.

“My dad made Mr. Harry laugh so loud that everyone turned and look at them. It was like they were kids and the other parents were scolding them for being so loud. It was nice to see my dad for that second not worrying.”

“Worrying?”

“About me. My grandparents have been calling. I hear him telling Aunt Charlie. I don’t say anything for I don’t want him to worry even more. I know he worries they will come and take me from school. I don’t know what they want but he gets angry when he talks about it. He gets so angry and my Aunt has to talk him through his anger. He never drinks when he is angry he just - he gets tongue tied and I know he just. He doesn’t want them around.”

Setting his cup down with a _click_ Doctor Lawson picked up his paper and began to write a few things down. He learned from there last session that Maggie wasn’t one to enjoy her words being written down. But when she would get wrapped up in a story she wouldn’t notice if he did. He had to record the conversations so he would be able to recall the small details. “Do you ease drop?”

She shook her head, “no, I hear them talking when I’m laying in bed trying to sleep. He doesn’t tell me to keep it from me. He doesn’t tell me for he doesn’t want me to worry about it. I don’t like them - I don’t like being around them. They make me - my chest gets tight, and hands shake,” she explained to them. “I wouldn’t know what I would do - when I was younger they came over to watch me when my mum and dad had to go to an appointment. I have a heart defect where I take medication and they didn’t give it to me and I had to be rushed to the A&E. They told my dad that they don’t like how they gave me medication at such a young age and that I was going to become an addict.”

“How old were you when this happened?”

“Four.”

“What happened?”

“It was like a panic attack but worse,” she explained to him. “I passed out when I was in the ambulance. I woke up and was in hospital. My dad there and my mum there as well, she was sick but she looked more alive when I opened my eyes.”

“It make sense that you don’t want to be around them,” Doctor Lawson agreed. “I am sorry that happened to you. Were you born with the heart defect?”

Maggie nodded. “I had a hole in my heart as well. But that closed us due to a surgery I had when I was two,” she said and then stopped, “I have a scar on my chest. It’s kind of cool. My mum always told me it made me special. I agree.”

There was a dinging that came from a mobile device as Doctor Lawson pulled his mobile out of his pocket. “I enjoyed our talk this week Maggie,” he told her turning off the alarm. “How do you feel?”

“Good,” she said and stopped, “Can you please not tell my dad that I know. I don’t want him to not like him for worrying about how I feel. Even though I’m happy he might think I’m just saying it.”

“I can’t tell your father anything unless it is life or death,” he reminded her setting the paper on the coffee table and standing up. Maggie slid off the couch and stood up, stretching her arms over her head before she walked towards the door. “Now, this week I need you to do me a favor.”

Maggie nodded her head as he stopped in front of his oak door that lead out to where her father was and where the next patient sat waiting to talk to Doctor Lawson. “I want you to go to Ashley’s and then I want you to invite her over to your house.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Have a good day Magdalena.”

She smiled, her hand pulled on the doorknob and headed on out of the room, “you too Doctor Lawson.”   


	8. This is Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Halloween party described are the ones I had growing up in school and in America. I have no idea how accurate (if at all) I am of what happens in the UK. Thankfully it's an AU right (:

_iMessage_   
_Tuesday 14:05_

**Are you stalking me? - H**

**Ummm….. No?!? - Lou**

**Are you sure?? I got off of lunch and there were flowers in the office for me. How did you know? - H**

**Oh that. No I'm not stalking. I'm just a Jedi and know these things - Lou**

**Jedi’s can't read minds. Now if you said you were Professor Xavior sure - H**

**Damn! You got me…. Maggie was talking about it and I was unable to sleep and ordered some - Lou**

**(: - H**

**And I felt that your room could use some new ones. The ones that were sitting by the window looked on their way out. That but you truly remind me of the Sunflower - Lou**

**God I wish that I could erase that last text message - Lou**

**I have said enough stupid things in front of you so I think I can let this one slide…. Or not ;) - H**

**Damn! - Lou**

**Thank you for the flowers Louis, it was very kind of you. I was taken aback by them. I feel as if I have a stupid smile on my face - H**

**Good, then I did my job! Now get back to work and teach my daughter Harry (: - Lou**

**I guess….. - H**

_iMessage  
Wednesday 15:03_

**My sister will be picking up Maggie from tutoring today. I am sadly sitting in a doctor’s office for my back. I was at work and Niall pulled me from my shift and I’m not sitting here. - Lou**

**Or laying here on my stomach. It feels better than sitting. Sitting hurts :/ - Lou**

**Is everything okay? - H**

**Yes. Just my back is acting up and I haven’t had it properly looked at in a long while so I am being forced to today. But I will be there come Friday for the Halloween party don’t worry - Lou**

**Good, I would have been devastated if you weren’t able to help out. I’m not sure that I would have been able to make it through the party without having someone there who is willing to help - H**

**I shall be there, and dressed to impress at whatever Maggie deems acceptable lol - Lou**

**I am sure it will be fantastic - H**

**Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help with your back or Maggie, and I mean that to - H**

**I know (: Thank you Harry - Lou**

**If cookies end up at your house tomorrow don’t be surprised - H**

**Don’t burn yourself on the oven. I won’t be at work tonight to help with any burns lol - Lou**

**I will make sure that I am safe. Not sure I would trust any other nurse or doctor to take care of me (: - H**

**Don’t make me blush Mr. Styles - Lou**

**Doctor is here. I’m sure Maggie will tell me all about tutoring - Lou**

**Keep me updated - I don't wanna bug Magdalena - H**

**I will Haz- Lou**

•••

Louis turned his head as he saw his daughter dart from one of the room to his bedroom. In her arms was what he saw was her Rey costume as well as her Peggy Carter costume. He stirred the half melted chocolate before putting it back into the microwave. Once she crossed the front door she had ran into her bedroom, changed from her uniform hung it up and got on her leggings and jumper and got to work prepping for the Halloween Party tomorrow.

She had kept it hush hush on what she wanted to do. He felt that she might go Star Wars or Doctor Who for school. Louis didn't care, she had a plethora of costumes to choose from and was glad they were being put to use and not just hanging up in the closet.

“Are you going to help with these or will I tell Mr. Harry these chocolate covered pretzels are from me and not you?” Louis asked his daughter as he pulled the chocolate out and headed over to the kitchen table where it was set up for pretzel making.

“Coming!!” Maggie’s voice rang out as she emerged from her bedroom and headed over to the kitchen table.

It was covered in wax paper, they had the pretzels all in a bowl along with the variety of sprinkles in several smaller ones. Pushing up the sleeves to the olive colored jumper, Maggie sat at the kitchen table chair and waited for Louis to bring over the chocolate.

“Okay,” Louis said as the microwave beeped since the door was open. “Hush,” he said to the object and turned to Maggie, “now the bowl it hot, so please be careful, I don’t want a trip to A&E,” he warned her as he kept the towel wrapped around it. “Use that,” he said as he pointed to spoon next to his daughter, “set the pretzel in the chocolate, take it out and then set it here and then decorate when they are on the paper. I will put some purple and green chocolate I color into a bag and we can drizzle it over.”

Maggie gave her father a thumbs up as he left her to her own devices and he went to fix the other chocolate bags. He hummed around the kitchen as the music from his mobile played softly. He turned and watched as Maggie quickly began to dunk the pretzels in the white chocolate and setting them on the wax paper before she took the sprinkles and put them on the pretzels.

“Do you know what you are going to wear tomorrow?” Maggie asked her father as she looked up, her curls falling in her eyes.

Setting the piping bag down Louis opened the junk drawer in the kitchen, grabbing a hair band he walked over to his daughter, taking his hands he ran his fingers through her hair and pulled it back, pulling it up on the top of her head and out of her eyes. “A nurse.”

“Oh no,” Maggie said as she whipped her head around and looked at her father. She didn't want her dad in scrubs around Mr. Harry. Not if he was trying to impress him. “Peter Parker.”

“Maggie, I have many scrubs and I can be a good nurse, very very believable,” he joked with her as his daughter’s face just stared at him. Not saying anything at all as he tried hard not to laugh. “Okay, I guess it’s Peter Parker.”

“Good,” Maggie smiled, turning her head she continued to work on her pretzels. Shaking his head Louis went back to the kitchen to finish on the chocolate and bring them over to his daughter. “If I don’t want to be Peggy Carter at school I can be here for when I go out with James right?” Maggie asked her father.

“Yes,” Louis told her as he began to clean up from the chocolate and prep the bags and the string to tie them up when they were all finished. Running his hand through his hair he needed to wash his hair, shave and dig out his old halloween costume that his sister had made for him many many moons ago. “What are you going to be at school?”

“I think Rey,” she paused, “but James is going to be Steve and Ashley said she is going to be black widow…. So could I be Peggy?”

Louis nodded, “whatever you plan I can help with the hair be it tonight or tomorrow,” he assured her with a smile.

“Thanks dad,” she said her eyes focused on finishing up the pretzels for her class. Whilst she worked on the fine details Louis went around cleaning up the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher as well as he checking on Maggie but kept it to himself. Once the kitchen was cleaned he made his daughter a simple sandwich, setting it next to her, he went on to finish the laundry as his daughter finished up the pretzels.

These quiet nights he cherished the most. Music playing and whilst he and Maggie might be doing opposite things she was there and he could stop at any point and just watch her and smile. She was growing up faster than he liked to admit and in those moments he just took it all in.

“Fin!” she called out as she set the spoon the empty bowl and raised her hands. “That took forever,” she admitted to Louis as he laughed and walked over to check on them, basket balanced in his hip with his scrubs and pants. “Thank you for helping with these dad.”

Setting the basket on the empty chair Louis felt the pretzels to see if they needed to dry overnight or just a few more minutes, “you are welcome munchkin,” he said to her grabbing the bowl and looking at the time. “Shower, brush teeth and then it’s time for bed, we have a long day tomorrow,” he reminded her. “All packed for James’s?”

Maggie nodded as she slid off the chair and headed towards her bathroom, “I just need my medication.”

“I will have it and give it to Uncle Niall tomorrow after school,” he assured her as she smiled and turned and headed to shower and prep for tomorrow. He wasn’t sure what she was going to choose, but part of him felt that she was going to get out of the shower and ask him to put curlers in her hair for Peggy Carter for school as well as at night. As he heard the shower going Louis finished up his cleaning of the kitchen, he had some trail mix he would eat for dinner, but all he wanted to do was get these thing packages up and set in the bag and pass out on his bed, fully clothed and not wake up until his personal alarm of a daughter woke him up.

•••

Louis was a confident man. While it wasn’t until he was about 18 he gained this confidence he carried it through the rest of his life. He learned how take life as it came, and if he showed up a place under or overdressed he just went with it. But stepping foot in his daughter’s classroom he saw that no other parent was dressed up and for a split second he felt odd. Out of place and that all eyes were on him. While his costume wasn't over the top, just skinny jeans, a button down shirt that was open to show off a life like Spider-Man suit under it and a camera around his neck.

Fook it he said to himself as he took a deep breath in, used his free hand and headed into the classroom as the moms stood around the food table talking. Dressed in normal clothes. As his eyes looked around the classroom he realized that Harry was missing as we're all the students.

“Oh Mr. Tomlinson,” Kaitlin said with a smirk and Louis wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. “You… you actually dressed up?”

Setting the bowl down with the bags of pretzels he smiled, he wanted to be dead at this point, “yes, it said to come dressed up. It is halloween after all,” he informed them as he realized the kids were also missing. “Where is everyone?” he asked.

“Mr. Styles is retrieving them from Phys Ed and then the party will begin, or something,” a mother who was dressed in jeans and an orange shirt on said. Her brown hair was pulled back from her face, and her makeup caked on trying to make her seem younger than she actually was.

“Ta,” Louis said as he went to reach for his mobile to text Niall but the door opened up and the kids came in. All of them were dressed up, somewhere cowboys, some were girls from the 80’s, while others were police officers, a banana was in the group, as well as a doughnut. And then there was Maggie. Her brown hair was tamed in wavy curls, her red hair on her head paired with her blue suit and her mary jane shoes clicked on the tile as she walked next to Ashley, who was dressed up as Black Widow.

“Hiya,” Maggie said with a wave as she walked over to her desk and everyone sat down to here what was going to happen next. Louis turned and his eyes stopped as there Harry stood. He had on a pair of dark tan trousers, a tan shirt, with a leather jacket on over it. A satchel and a hat, his face seemed to hide under the brim but he saw his cheek bones and the dimple he wanted to kiss appear as his lips moved and he smiled as his eyes locked onto Louis.

God he makes a sexy Indiana Jones. Louis thought to himself as he had to think of sad things to keep himself in check.

“Thank you to the parents who came to help,” he said as the kids turned to look at them. “We have one more lesson,” Harry said as he grabbed a stack of papers from his desk and began to pass them out. Louis arched his neck and saw it was paper to be cut and made into a skeleton. “Since we started to learn about bones, we can build our own,” he said as the kids all began to talk at once with excitement. Louis couldn’t help but smile at his clever way for them to get something on a normal day no doubt there would have been grumbling about. “If you need help raise your hand and I will come over,” he added as the kids got to work and Harry made his way over to where the parents were standing. “Hello,” he said as he turned and saw another mom coming in, late, to help with the party.

“Sorry,” she said as she carried a bag full of the snacks on her arm. “Looks like I didn’t miss anything.”

Louis kept his eye roll to himself.

“Thank you all for coming, once they are finished up with this, we will have them get there snacks and treats and just enjoy there time, I have a few activities for them to do if they want to, otherwise it’s time for them to relax before the parade around the school,” explained Harry as the mothers looked at him as if he was crazy. “Any questions?” There was nothing. “Okay, well Mr. Tomlinson, can you accompany me to the office to grab the pizza that I had delivered?”

“Sure,” Louis said as Harry smile and he headed towards the door. Getting the cue he smiled at the mother's, turned on the heels of his converse and followed Harry out of the room, the door shutting behind them as they both walked in the quiet hallway for a few moments without saying a word to each other.

“Maggie’s costume is amazing,” Harry told Louis as they walked, falling in step with each other as they turned the corner towards the office.

“Thank you, my sister made it. Do you want to come over for pizza and an Alfred Hitchcock film?” Louis asked Harry as he kept walking and didn’t realize that Harry had stopped walking and was frozen in the middle of the hallway. “I’m fooking rubbish at this. Sorry. Shit. Sorry,” Louis said as he shook his head. He felt his face heating up from embarrassment.

“Yes,” Harry said. “Yes, no, don’t be sorry,” he said his words stuttering out of his mouth as his body is finally able to move and he took the few steps over to Louis. “Are you not going out with Maggie?”

“For a bit, but she wants to go with James, since she hasn’t been able to go with him since she was five and he is going as Captain America and it’s a whole thing,” he explained to him. “So, if you want to stop by around 7:45 or 8,” Louis suggested to him. “Real casual, I will be in joggers and a t-shirt to be honest,” he joked as they both continued their walk to the office.

“Noted. Good, can I bring anything?”

“Yourself?” Louis said and then shook his head. “Sorry. I’m… I’m really rusty at this whole flirting thing,” he said as he moved his hands between his body and Harry’s.

“Me to,” laughed Harry as they reached the office. “How about I bring a bottle of wine or beer since we are having pizza and I will sneak some of the good chocolates from the bowl we are going to pass out.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he said his chest feeling lighter after he asked him. “I didn't want… What you said in the email is accurate for both parties and I feared you thought I was blowing you off this week.”

Harry shook his head, “Maggie explained to me how Charlie was over helping one day where you called out your back was so bad.”

Louis nodded, “got a cortisone shot so I'm good with the pain for now. I will need back surgery at some point,” he explained as they reached the office. “But not today. Today I dress up at a comic book character and eat my body weight in candy and carbs.”

Harry laughed, “that sounds horrible and amazing at the same time.”

•••

“Shut up!” Niall asked his eyes wide as he stood in the kitchen of his house. Areyna had taken the duties of taking Maggie and James out for candy while Niall did door duty. “Get it!” he yelled as if they were 20 years old again and he was going to hit it and quit it that night. “You always get lucky on the 31st.”

“Go to fooking ‘ell,” Louis hold Niall as he punched his arm. He was still in his Peter Parker costume. He had kep his plans with Harry a secret from Maggie. Not from keeping her out of the loop but to protect her incase it doesn’t go anywhere and he didn’t want her to have a broken heart as well. “I need to go,” he said as Niall began to thrust his hips forward. “Fook off you prick!” Louis said as he pushed the bowl of candy off the kitchen counter.

“What the hell mate!”

“You wanted to act like a child, so I’m just helping,” Louis told him with a smirk. “Don’t say anything okay - Maggs doesn’t know and if Charlie finds out I will never hear the end of it and that is the last thing I want.”

Niall was squatting down, picking up the candy as he looked up at Louis, “When can we talk about it? Out and open?”

“When I tell you,” Louis said. “Cheers.”

“Cheer,” Niall said as he stood up, walking over the candy he headed over to the front door. “All kidding aside,” he said as he opened the door, “I’m excited for you mate.”

“Thanks Nialler,” Louis said putting his hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “I will see you tomorrow when I pick up Maggs?”

Giving Louis a thumbs up he headed down the walkway and towards his car. He still had a few hours until Harry was to be over, enough time to prep the pizza, set out the selection of films and get out of his costume. Shaking his hands to get the nerves out Louis got into his car and took a few moments to collect himself.

Was he betraying Maggie by not telling her? Was he betraying Carly? It had been a long time since he get the butterflies in his stomach, the race of his heart and the excitement about seeing a person. Louis felt weird being this happy - not that he felt he should be unhappy in life but for the past eight years his love and attention and time was put into Maggie, and while he still does that he knew he needed time for himself. Time to sort out the issues and re- establish his life after the past years.

Turning the engine over, he put his car into drive headed on home. The streets were filled with kids - the younger ones out now whilst the older ones would turn out once the sun went down.

“You are being ridiculous,” Louis told himself shaking his head as he turned the radio up a bit. “Just stop it,” he said his mind all over the place as he realized the house was trashed from this past week. Now Harry was going to think he couldn't keep a flat clean and run away. “Jesus do you hear yourself?!?” Louis hissed angry at himself. “Just stop it.”

Pushing the negative thoughts out his mind Louis finished his drive home. It was just after 6 when he pulled up to his flat. Parking his car, he gathered up his camera, along with Maggie’s rucksack and the basket that once housed the pretzels before he got out of his car and headed towards the flat. Balancing the basket on his hip, Louis found his flat key and managed to get the door open and get in the flat before everything went falling to the ground.

“Damn it,” Louis hissed as he used his foot to shut the door as he leaned forward, setting his daughter rucksack in the basket he picked it up. Locking the door with a free hand he headed up the worn steps. He would toss the basket in Maggie’s room and do his best to quickly clean up the flat before prepping dinner. Taking the stairs two at a time, when Louis reached the landing he set the basket down and unlocked the flat, bending over he picked the basket up one more time before before leaving the door open and headed over to his daughter’s room to set her rucksack and basket in there.   
  
“Change,” he told himself grabbing his camera and leaving his daughter’s room. Shutting her bedroom door Louis headed through the living room, stopping to fix the pillows, fold the blanket that Charlie had used as a cover the other night when she slept over. Knowing that it would have to be good for now he made his way up the steps to his bedroom, walking in he set the camera on the bed and quickly took off the button up shirt and the spider man shirt. Tossing them in the bottom of his closet he grabbed a black v-neck shirt.

“Jeans. Yes,” he said looking down at his skinny jeans, he would just stick with those, knowing Harry he would come still dressed to impress when he came over. Toeing off his shoes he sat on the corner of his bed and pulled the socks off his feet from the toe, tossing everything into the bottom of his closet. “Fook that will have to do,” he said pulling his mobile from his back pocket to make sure that Harry hadn’t texted him that he wasn’t coming, or that he was early.

“Stop it,” he told himself again standing up and headed down into the kitchen where he was going to prep the veggies for the pizza and cook the sausage. Once he stepped into the kitchen, Louis turned his music on, opening up the fridge he pulled out the peppers, mushrooms, and sausage. “Onions,” he said grabbing those as well and setting them on the counter. He grabbed his cutting board and went to work.

Heating up the frying pan, he started cutting up the peppers. This was just a hang out. Eat some pizza, have some beer and watch a movie or two. His mobile buzzed, looking down he saw Harry’s name appear on the screen. Unlocking the phone with the touch id he opened up his message.

**Hey, I am headed towards your apartment now. Is there a certain type of beer you like? - H**

**Whatever you like Harry. I’m cutting up the veggies now for the pizza. Any requests? - Lou**

**Surprise me (: - H**

**Oh, and I have some Pumpkin muffins, and candy as I promised - H**

**Brilliant! - Lou**

His heart began to race as he read Harry’s last text. He wasn’t sure why but he was excited. Taking a deep breath in, he dumped the peppers into the pan, they sizzled as he went to cut up the mushrooms. Humming along to his music, he focused on cooking, it was something that truly calmed him, and put his mind and anxiety at ease. His mind lost track of time and before he knew it the doorbell rang and Louis was brought out his train of thought.

His stomach dropped. Turning off the oven he headed on down the steps and made it towards the front door. Before he opened it up, Louis took a deep breath in, his hand rested on the doorknob as he opened it up and there Harry stood.

He was in black skinny jeans, a pair of pointy toe shoes, and then a white button down shirt that looked about two sizes too big, but also seemed to fit him. His hair was curly, falling to the side. In his hand there was a reusable bag that had beer, a bottle of wine and baked goods. And candy, lots of candy.

“Hiya,” Louis said with a smile his voice cracked. “Come on in,” he said as he moved out of the way as Harry walked on in. “The pizza is up and ready to make,” he explained as he motioned up the stairs. “What chocolate did you snatch?”

“Only the best,” Harry laughed as he looked down at his bag. “Liam threw a fit like a child but I just left and let Johanna deal with him,” he laughed rounding the corner and making it to the landing. “The flat seems to fit you,” he said as he walked in and got a good look around. “Looks one way but is completely different in the inside.”

Feeling his cheeks blush, Louis cleared his throat and took the bag from his hand. “Make yourself comfortable,” he offered as he put the beer in the fridge and kept the wine out. “And you literally have the best chocolates in here,” he said grabbing a twirl and opening it up. “I will gain seven pounds from sweets over the next few days.”

“Doubt it,” Harry said as he goes off his boots and his mismatched socks walked over the wood doors into the kitchen. “Wine glasses?”

Louis pointed to a cabinet as his mouth was full of chocolate.

“Wine or beer?”

“Wine, beer with pizza,” he laughed sneaking another chocolate into his mouth when Harry wasn't looking. “The party for the class was fantastic, Maggie had to stop herself talking about it for she felt bad James didn't get a cool party.”

“You raised her with a heart of gold,” Harry said as he poured the two glasses of wine. Putting the cork back into the bottle he turned around and handed one glass to Louis. “And thank you for dressing up.”

Taking the glass his fingers lingered on Harry’s for a moment, taking in his soft skin. “More parents need to relax a bit. Sooner than they will want to admit there child is going to grow up and you won't be able to dress up anymore.”

Harry laughed, covering his mouth from the loud burst that escaped his mouth. “I admire you.”

“Oh god don't,” Louis said as he took the glass of wine. “I'm just - don't.”

“Whatever,” Harry said rolling his eyes. “Okay, now you make one and I make one and we share?”

“Deal,” he said as he grabbed the pizza crust, “do you eat meat?”

Harry nodded his head as Louis handed him the pizza crust and they began to make their pizzas. The music played in the background as they focused on the pizza making.

Harry added ranch as his base for his pizza, adding a layer of Swiss cheese. On top he sprinkled the fresh tomatoes and the bacon bits that were in a bowl, getting up he headed to the fridge and grabbed some lettuce and began to chop it up.

“What the fook are you doing?” Louis laughed as he began to sprinkle the sausage onto his pizza.

“Mind your p’s and q’s mister and find out when I'm done,” he said looking over his shoulder as Louis scrunched up his nose and rolled his eyes at Harry. Smiling he went back to cutting up his lettuce. “So what made you want to become a nurse?”

“I always wanted to help people,” Louis explained as he put the green peppers on the pizza. “I would play doctor with my sister and always fix her - so growing up I always said I would be one. Got good grades, at one point my parents, they were convinced I would go the footie route, but it was more sport for me.”

“So that's why you have the toned legs,” Harry said and stopped, his body freezing, “not that. Oh god,” Harry covered his face he felt was growing redder by the minute.

Laughing, Louis pushed his glasses up in the bridge of his nose and smiled, “yes, the thunder thighs and round peach like ass were from footie. The belly I now sport is from lack of footie,” he added with a smirk. “When I got to Uni I was in that track for a bit but then things got,” he paused as he tried to find the right words, “it got more complex. A few more sub stories lines were added to my main plot going on and I just became a nurse.”

Finishing up the lettuce, Harry put it in a bowl and walked over to the table, “how so?” He asked adding, “not to be nosey.”

Louis shook his head, standing up he took his pizza and made his way over to the oven, opening the top he set the timer and turned back towards Harry as he walked to put his pizza in as well. Louis wanted to tell him - he felt like he was lying to him by not telling him which was silly. But the fear of him just leaving and taking the chocolates once he did filled his mind. No, he would leave the chocolates for he is Harry and just take himself and leave.

“You sure you want this story? Anytime I've told this one the guy has gone running the other way never to be seen again.”

Harry furrowed his brow as he helped put away the extra food that was in the kitchen. “Try me.”

“I am a nurse because of Maggie and because of Cary.”

“Your ex?”

“Oh god no,” Louis said trying not to laugh at the thought of being married to Carly. Harry stopped, his face even more perplexed than before. “I have never been married.”

“Then…”

Louis stopped, setting the empty bowls in the sink he grabbed his wine and lead Harry over to the couch. “This is like a complex sub plot turned main plot in my life. It's completed….” He trailed off sitting down knowing his legs would give out whilst telling his story.

Harry sat down, setting his wine on the coffee table he placed a hand in Louis’s knee and looked at him, “I'm not running.”

Chugging the rest of his wine, Louis set the glass next to Harry’s, rain a deep breath in he began. “I met Carly, Maggie's mother first year,” he explained. “We were instant friends and basically were inseparable, it helped that she was roommates with my mates soon to be girlfriend and now wife. We studied together and would go to the pub, then one night she told me how she was in remission from Cancer. Cancer she had been barreling since she was 13 years old.”

Harry wanted to drop his mouth in shock but knew that wasn't helpful so he held it together.

“She said she would never be free of it and that is why she was going to school to be a doctor,” Louis explained as he spoke. His voice was sullen and he tried not to look at Harry for he didn't want to see the judgement in his eyes. “Year two she relapsed. Her parents were over in France helping her brother and sister in law with their new baby when she find out. My parents knew and we would stay with them on the weekends when she got treatments done. During one of them she asked me if I ever wanted to be a father, I had told her yes, I had always wanted to be one but adoption was my route since two men can't make a child. She laughed,” Louis remembered as she laid there on the table as they prepped her for chemo.

“It was several months later and after three surgeries and is finishing our second year when she came to me with a proposal. She wanted to be a mum before she died, and she was realistic about not living to an old age. She asked if I would have a baby with her via a sperm donation and we raise it together.”

Harry felt everything around his freeze. Not only would he have to eat crow from Liam but what Louis was telling him sounded like something from a tv show or film.

“I said yes, but she would have to graduate and I would just become a nurse, and start saving up money for a flat and to be able to raise a baby.”

“What did your parents say?” Harry asked not sure if he was shoes to interrupt or not.

“We sat down with my mum, dad and Charlie and told the once I had finished my training and had a job, and Carly had a few more months left. They were thrilled, and a bit saddened knowing why she wanted this,” explained Louis as he took a deep breath in, “her parents didn't know until they surprised her and saw that she was 7 months along.”

“Oh.”

“They are vile humans,” Louis said his blood boiling as she thought about them. Shaking his head he got back on track, “so we went to the doctors. He knew about her cancer and prepped her that it might not work. I did what I needed to do and when she was ovulating they did the procedure. We knew that it wasn't a for sure thing - due to the cancer there was a small risk that she wouldn't be able to have children. But four months later she was sick as a dog the day of graduation. I got her a pregnancy test and it was positive.”

Harry was forcing himself not to cry, though he felt his eyes getting fuzzy from the tears.

“Magdalena was born, she had been cancer free for almost three years and would be cancer free for the next four.”

Louis stopped, he felt the lump forming in his throat and his eyes began to sting. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of Harry.

“It's okay,” he reached over and took hold of Louis’s hand. “I understand it's hard and Louis what you did was - god it was beautiful and selfless,” Harry explained to him as the man he was falling for just became even more perfect in his eyes. “I can't even begin to explain how that. Just wow.”

Laughing, Louis cleared his throat and nodded, “Carly was a soulmate for me. And now a part of her lives everyday in Maggie and that makes getting up easier some mornings.”

Harry gave his hand a squeeze he just looked at the man in front of him, far from what people would think was his type. His eyes tied behind his glasses, the sight grey at the temples and the smile that was of a child.

“Sorry to be such a downer, but I want to be transparent and just - there is just a lot of baggage and while I don't even know what. I mean I know what I want. Oh fook talking!” Louis said as he leaned forward, his hands cupping Harry’s face as he erased his lips against his. His eyes closed as there noses bumped awkwardly.

Harry’s hands fluttered in the air for a bit before they rested in Louis’s hip. Once they did his back slowly leaned back in the couch as Louis guided him. His lips kissing his, and moving to his jaw and neck. He didn't want it to stop, Louis hands gently moved down the side of his body, and made there way up his loose shirt. Harry’s hands quickly found there way under Louis shirt, grabbing the bottom he pulled the black cotton off his body, his hands wanting to run over the soft skin. He wanted to examine Louis, learn the curve of his back, the way his chest moved when he laughed, his eyes opened as Louis kissed his neck and he saw the ink on Louis’s body.

“Beautiful,” he said breathlessly as his back arched as Louis kissed his collarbone. His hands moved over the ink in his left arm, from the numbers, to the airplane, the compass even a stick figure. He wanted to know the story behind them all. He wanted to just sit here all day and earn about Louis.

“You are,” Louis said breathlessly as he kissed him, only stopping as he smelt something burning. He hadn't lit a candle - and then it hit him.

The pizza.

“Fook!” He hissed jumping up, praying Harry didn't see and handy felt his hard on as he ran into the kitchen, only to catch his foot on a chair and fall down, smacking his elbow in the hardwood floor. “Son of a fook bitch!” He hissed as Harry, taking a deep breath headed to the kitchen, walking over Louis he quickly grabbed the oven mitts, opening up the oven he pulled out his pizza. It was black on top. The tomatoes were shriveled up and the bacon looked like tiny baseballs nice would use. He set that on the stove top as he pulled Louis pizza out and it looked no better than his. Harry quickly turned off the oven, and went over to help Louis up. “Sorry for the language.”

“I would have said the same thing if I took that fall, sit,” he said helping him to the chair. “Did you break it?”

Louis shook his head no as he moved his arm. “Just effed it up a bit,” he said as he saw the pizza. “Well… Do you like Chinese?”

“Where in the menu? You can order and I'll get you an ice pack,” Harry said as Louis pointed him to the drawer where the menu were kept. Handing it to Louis he found the ice bag and quickly prepped that as he went and looked the menu, only to be on the phone three seconds later. He listened as he spoke tongue guy, it was as if he knew him.

“No, it's me and a friend tonight,” Louis said mouthing the words ‘thank you’ to Harry as he rested his elbow on the ice. “He doesn't eat a lot of red meat so can we make the beef and broccoli the chicken and veggies. Yes. And spring rolls. I want the egg roll and I'll save the other one for Maggs. Yes. Yeah throw those in as well. Brilliant. Thank you Frank,” he said hanging up the phone. “45 minutes,” he said setting his mobile on the table. “I can grab the chocolates and put them in a bowl if you want to pick a film?”

“Have any B rated horror films?”

“House on Haunted Hill, every Hitchcock film, Shutter Island, and Hocus Pocus,” Louis said finding a bowl, and popping some pain meds for his elbow.

“You have Hocus Pocus?!”

“Yes, and we can be children and watch it,” he said as he carries the bowl of chocolates over and his mobile. Setting the candy down he grabbed the DVD and prepped the Telly as Harry went and grabbed Louis a beer and went to fill up his wine glass. “About the Carly story….”

Harry held his hands up, beer in one and wine bottle in the other, “I don't pity you. I thank you for telling me and now I understand better - and no. I'm not running away.”

Louis smiled, “good.”

“Good,” Harry added.

Harry topped off his wine and then made his way back to the couch. Handing Louis his beer they both took a seat as the film began, Harry pulled his legs up under him and sat there next to Louis, his back straight as he waited for him to make a move.

“Don't be so shy,” he said setting his beer down in the coffee table, he rested his left arm on the back of the couch as Harry leaned in, his head in his chest, his hand holding his glass as Louis’s fingers gently moved across his back. “So, not to be nosey but how are you single?”

“Bad relationship.”

“Ahhhh.”

Harry sat up, he looked at Louis, with sincerity in his eyes, “it was a bad relationship and one I don't like... It's hard to talk about.”

“No worries,” Louis said as he leaned forward and kissed his nose. “We all have demons we need to face in our own time.”

Harry smiled, “thank you,” his voice was deep as he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him, Louis body moving as to get Harry on his lap and as close to him as possible. “I never want to stop kissing you,” he said his lips trailing down his neck as he gave him a love bite.

“Then don't,” Louis said breathlessly as his body had moved so he was sitting sideways on the couch, Harry was in his lap, his long legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands exploring different parts of Louis. “Last time we did this we burnt dinner.”

“Good thing we aren't cooking,” Harry said as he finally was able to pull Louis shirt off of him and trace the tattoos on his arm and chest. “Sunflower?”

“My parents grew them at our house in Donnie,” he said as Harry’s thing fingers moved over the delicate flower. “I still own the house.”

“But you live in London?”

“I want to renovate it, and move there eventually with Maggie.”

Harry just smiled, his hands now on the date on his side which was no doubt Maggie’s birthday. “This one?”

“I was a punk ass kid and skateboarded,” he laughed looking down at the tattoo. “Any ink on you?”

“No,” he laughed as Louis brushed his hair out of his face, “this is another layer that impresses me about you. You puzzle me Louis.”

“Good,” he said leaning forward and kissing him. “Do you know how long I've wanted to kiss you?”

“Not as long as I have wanted to kiss you,” Harry said as he kissed him gently. “I feel like I'm 18 again.”

“18 was a good age,” Louis agreed, his hands in his hips as he kissed him and there was a buzzing at the door. “Interrupted again.”

“I will get the food,” he said placing his hand on his chest, “you are half naked and know where the plates are.”

“Use my card,” Louis said as Harry jumped up from the couch. “Harold!” He laugh yelled as he ran out the door and down the stairs. “HAROLD!!” Grabbing his shirt, he slipped it back on before getting off the couch, his bare feet once again moving over the wood floors in the kitchen as he grabbed spoons, forks, and plates for himself and Harry. He would do the dishes tomorrow morning, or tonight depending on if he could sleep.

“Did you order for an army?” Asked Harry as he walked back into the flat. “Is the apocalypse happening and I didn't know about it?”

“Leftovers?” He said as Harry set two bags full of food on the table. “Shut it!”

“Also, they said I didn't need to pay….”

“I hate Frank.”

“Is it…. He gave you free food for a date?” Harry asked as Louis helped lay the spread out on the table. “You sure you aren't secretly famous?”

“No,” he said opening up the containers and shaking his head. “Is this a date? I mean I want it to be a date and with the snogging and you ripping my clothes off….” He joked as put rice in his place and Harry put noodles in his.

“I was under the impression it was, and you didn't stop me from taking them off,” he reminded him adding the spring roll to his plate and heading back to the couch. “So yes.”

“We are such rubbish at this,” Louis laughed following Harry back to the couch. “Iike how do people date anymore?”

“Apps.”

Louis groaned.

“Society makes the rules, not I,” Harry said as Louis leaned his back against the armrest and stretched his legs out so they rested on Harry’s lap, having him set his plate on his legs. “Oh yeah?”

“Yep!” He smiled as he popped a cheese Rangoon in his mouth.

As the night progressed they managed to watch two more movies, talking through most of the first one about life and Halloween and bad costume choices. Harry talked about work and Louis about lost it when a parent came dressed up as a baby. Louis shared his moments with his sister going as Santa and an elf.

“God I need these pictures!” Harry laughed as tears fell from his eyes. “Oh, crap it's almost 2 am,” Harry said as he looked at his phone. “I didn't mean…”

“It's okay,” Louis smiled as he stood up. “I texted Maggie goodnight and you are a big boy. Unless Liam thinks I killed you.”

“Possibly,” he laughed standing up and stretching his back, “do you want help cleansing up?”

Louis shook his head as they walked to the front door. “I will get to it tomorrow,” he said as Harry slid his boots in. “Thank you for tonight,” he said as Harry stood up and smiled at Louis. “I'm going to stop talking and just kiss you goodnight.”

“Works for me,” Harry said placing his hands on his hips as Louis kissed him. “I had fun, it was the perfect night.”

“Can you let me know when you get home - Jesus I sound like an old man,” Louis said shaking his head and wanting to hide. “I'm use to saying that to my sister... I am done talking.”

Harry’s chest fluttered. “It's adorable, and I will,” he took his hand and lifted Louis chin, “it's adorable. It shows you care. I see where Maggie gets her heart from.”

Louis looked away, his face red as Harry laughed. “Oy stop making my blush,” he said trying to back away but failing. “Leave before Liam thinks I went all Silence of The Lambs and ate you. Or am wearing you.”

Harry shuddered, “okay nasty. Goodbye,” he said as he stopped, gave Louis one last kiss and headed out the door down the steps. Louis just stood there. He wanted to run down the steps, pun him to the wall and kiss him, but he just stood there, his knees weak, heart racing and his mind was mush.

After he heard the front door close Louis shut and locked his door. His mind and body were to awake to get any sort of sleep, so he did the next best thing, he cleaned up his kitchen. Putting away the Chinese food for he and Maggie to enjoy the following day. He then cleaned up from the pizza mishap. Tossing the rock like pizzas in the bin and scrubbing the pans. He had enough energy, he was tempted to just clean the whole flat tonight.

•••

Harry tiptoed into the flat, shutting the door as quiet as possible not to wake Liam and Jo. Turning the lock, he quietly turned around only to stop as the light in the kitchen turned in and Liam stood there, in his dressing down, tired eyes but a smirk on his face.

“Jesus!” Harry hissed grabbing his chest as Lism just stood there. “What the hell Liam?”

“Where the fuck have you been?”

“Out.”

Liam stopped, his entire face lit up and a smile spread across his face. “No!” He laughed as he wakes towards Harry to examine him. “Get into a fight with an octopus there Harry?” He asked poking his neck. Harry swatted his hand away. “Please tell me it was Louis.”

“I'm going to bed,” Harry said as he tried and failed to hide the smile on his face. As he tried to turn Lism grabbed his hand. “Let go.”

“No you punk,” he told him as he pulled Harry towards him. Harry, having dealt with Liam since they were 19 dropped in his ass, becoming dead weight and having him fall to the ground as well. “Are we really doing this again?”

“You started it Payno,” he laughed as he heard his bedroom door open. “I just wanted to go to bed.”

Liam tried to pin Harry down as he slid away. “Who gave you the -”

“Children,” Johanna said. “Liam let go of Harry. He went to Louis’s why else would he take wine and your beer?” She said her glasses in her face, night guard in her mouth and hair in the top of her head. “Harry, Liam is just happy and it translates into him bring a punk ass. Now get the hell to bed and you two can bro it out in the morning. When I'm gone.”

She turned around, walking back into Liam’s room and shut the door. Harry glanced at Liam as they both had to cover there mouths and muffle there laughs.

“She got called in for work tomorrow and is pissed,” explained Liam as he stood up in the floor, extending his hand he pulled Harry up to his feet. “You good?”

Harry nodded. “I was at Louis’s house. We made dinner and then it got burnt when we were snogging,” he said as Liam punched his arm in a congratulatory way. “But yeah. It was. It was perfect Liam. I feel… I don't even know,” he laughed as Liam turned off the kitchen light and both men headed to their respected bedrooms. The flat was quiet once again, the only light from the moon coming in through the window.

“So, not to sound like we are back in A levels but are you lot a thing? Or what?” Liam asked as they both stood at there bedroom doors. Harry paused. He wasn't sure how to answer that honestly. “Well, I'm glad you are happy. Get some sleep Styles.” He said heading back to bed.

Opening his bedroom door Harry kept the lights out, he toed off his boots and quickly shimmied out of his trousers, hanging them on the back of his desk chair he unbuttoned and tossed his shirt in the laundry before grabbing a random t-shirt from school and putting it on before crawling into bed.

**Hey I'm home (: I've been home - Liam just wanted to play 20 questions with me - H**

**Thanks again for tonight - H**

His fingers hovered the keyboard as the weds Liam said rang in his head. He didn't want to become clingy, he wanted this to move at the pace it should but the hickeys on his neck told a different story.

**Not to sound forward or clingy but do you want to get coffee tomorrow? Before you get Magdalena from James’s and we can talk. Mainly about what we are. Or aren't. Or want to be?? - H**

Locking his phone, Harry closed his eyes, just by doing that he could feel Louis’s hands on his, could feel his lips and his chest foreign tighter (along with his pants). How could he sleep now? His mind felt like a puddle. Unable to think properly, all he could do was think about Louis. His story. His smile, his tattoos, his lips. Feeling his phone buzz Harry flipped it over and smiled when he saw Louis’s name.

**Glad you made it safe (: and sorry about having you get interrogated due to me. I think coffee is a good idea. I have a feeling we are on the same page - but taking is good. I need to get her by 2, for James has an all boys party to go to - Lou**

**So, does 11 at the black cat cafe work? - Lou**

**Works perfect -H**


	9. Love Actually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience with this chapter. Since getting back from vacation my life has been all work and little play. My mum is also in town so I have been trying to juggle work, time with her and trying to finish this chapter before my eyes grow heavy each night and keep shutting, which as much as I wish I could write while I sleep I have yet to master that in my life (: 
> 
> I hope that you all enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are much loved and if you want to connect with me outside of this you can tweet me @violet_janou or even email me (yes, I check my email multiple times and I love a good email) at violetjanou@gmail.com
> 
> XO  
> Violet

Sleep was something Harry didn’t experience that night. He had laid in bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mind was going over multiple scenarios on what could happen when he got coffee with Louis the next morning. Or to be more accurate, what would happen today when he met up with him in several hours. Harry knew that as silly as it was, he feared that if he did fall asleep he would wake up and everything that happened between him and Louis and that would just gut him. What happened, it never happened to Harry. That wasn’t his life, he would meet a guy and they would have no interest in him, or when they did they ended up being a giant dick. This entire experience was something out of the norm for him. 

_ But it is real.  _ Harry said to himself as his eyes felt heavy from the lack of sleep.  _ It was real and the snogging, and the way my chest felt like it was on fire with a million butterflies. The way I feel so carefree - happy and myself. It was all real Harry and you need to learn how to accept it. Accept that you can be happy in your life.  _  He told himself as he laid there in the darkness. This was real, but unlike Louis Harry kept his baggage to himself, mainly out of protection for Louis. 

Sure, he had been in therapy and his arms had some scares to prove the pain he carried with him everyday. But he was just learning to deal with that part of him - he had settled that he might not ever find someone who would accept it all. Then waked in Louis. 

_ A man you have known two months. What are you doing Harry. This isn't a movie or a poorly written love story on someone's blog.  _

The man brought him happiness. Not the false happiness that he had confused for so many years as what he felt at this moment. Just saying his name his stomach turned and a smile spread across his face. He was a romantic but for once he didn't feel as if he was building this up in his head - it was happening to him. His own version of Natalie and The Prime Minister love story from  _ Love Actually _ . 

Turning his head, his eyes read that the clock read 7:03. He had heard Jo leave the flat around 4 in the morning. Her voice was muffled from behind his bedroom door. He heard Liam’s voice as well, the front door shut around 4:15 and Liam was back in bed shortly after. He could get up now, shower and clean up from his night out. Find the proper clothes to meet at a cafe and go early to get some work done. His mind was wide awake, but his body laid there, tired and lifeless for awhile longer. His hand reached up to the side of his neck, he had yet to check if what Liam said about his neck was true. He knew that whilst snogging that Louis had given him a few love bites - but surely they weren’t as bad as Liam made them out to be. 

“Sod it,” he said pushing his duvet off his body and placing his feet on the ground by his bed Harry took a deep breath in and pushing himself up from his bed. The floor squeaked a bit, but he was safe. Liam was a heavy sleeper and even if he did wake up he didn’t have to address the activities of the night. He quickly made his way to his door, taking his hand he opened it up and stuck his head out. Looking around the flat was silent and still, it was a cue that Liam was still fast asleep and it was an even better indicator when the kitchen was clean and there wasn’t a coffee cup sitting on the counter. Leaving his room, his hand covering his neck Harry quickly ran into the toilet, locking the door as soon as he shut it. Turning on the light he walked over to the mirror, removed his hand and his mouth dropped. 

_ Fuck _ . 

Leaning forward he examined his neck, his hand running over the sides of his neck trying to scrub the marks away. It looked like the octopus had taken his tentacle, wrapped it around his neck and tried to suffocate him - only to be pried off leaving dozen of small black and blue marks all over his neck and collar bone area. Poking them he realized that they were real, and he had no idea how he was going to cover them up for today or when it came to going back to work on Monday. 

_ Fuck _ . 

Jumping at the pounding of the door, Harry held his hand over his neck as if his mother was going to come in and scold him for what he had done. “I’m in here Liam!” he called out his voice cracking. 

“I need to piss Harry,” Liam said almost in pain. 

“Okay, one second,” he said reaching over he flushed the toilet, running the water he counted to 30 and then unlocked the door and walked quickly past Liam, his hand covering his neck but it was no use, Liam gasped as he got a better look at his neck in the light. “Shut it,” Harry told him before he could even say anything and he shut his bedroom door, he fell face first onto his bed. What was he going to do. He couldn’t go out in public looking like this.  _ I could call in sick Monday. I could call out until my neck is better,  _ he told himself even though he knew that he never would and that he sounded ridiculous just thinking about it. “Go away Liam,” Harry said as he heard the bedroom door open and his mate walked in. He knew Liam, and he knew that he wouldn’t go away. The edge of his bed dipped down as Liam took a seat. 

“So, tell me what went down last night Harry,” he said trying to be serious but Harry could hear in his voice that he just wanted to gossip and to tell him that he was correct about Louis and everything. “And why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were going to Louis’s house?” 

“If you want me to eat crow then just say so,” Harry said his voice muffled as his face was buried into his duvet. Rolling over onto his back Harry covered his face from embarrassment. “He invited me over for pizza while he was helping in the classroom… I went and we talked and then ended up snogging and burning the pizza. Ordered Chinese food, snogged a bit more and then talked the rest of the night.” 

Liam arched his brow and smiled at his friend. 

Harry huffed, his face still hidden not wanting to look Liam in the eyes. He didn't feel guilty but he did for some reason.“I felt like I was a teenager and his mum was going to walk in on us any moment when we were snogging,” he explained to him as a smile escaped his lips, there was no way he could hide that. “Why do I feel like a school boy?” 

“Because you are,” Liam laughed as he laid down next to Harry. “You know the best part about this is?” 

“What?” 

“I get to see my best mate happy again,” Liam said as Harry spread his fingers on his face and turned to look at Liam, “and that I can say that I was correct and you were wrong.” 

“Fuck off,” Harry said punching Liam in the arm as he winced. “Why must you mock me?” 

Liam shrugged, “It’s what mates do,” he reminded him, “but in all honesty I’m happy for you,” he said to him with a smile. “It feels nice?” 

“What?” 

“Falling in love, being happy?” Liam said annoyed at how clueless he was being to the whole thing. “Don’t deny it either for you are shit for a liar.” 

“Blame my mother, she beat that out of me at a young age,” Harry explained as he laid there, his hands still over his face. “I’m not in love.” 

“Okay, and I don’t secretly watch  _ The Bachelor _ with Jo,” Liam told him with an eye roll. “What did you lot talk about till two in the morning anyway?” he asked sitting up as Harry removed his hands from his hands and looked at his friend, he wasn’t even sure where to begin. He wasn’t even sure all those conversation they had were true. It was all so blissfully wonderful that it seemed like a dream. “Really? You date a dick named Tanner and tell me all about him but you meet a nice bloke and all of a sudden you button up your lips.” 

“There is nothing to tell,” Harry said the words coming out like a five year old who was trying to hide that they had just cut off all the hair on his sister’s dolls. Liam turned, his eyes looked down at Harry. “I got there and we made pizza, it was nice, we chatted a bit and I could tell that he was nervous… he hasn’t dated in a long time,” he went on to explain to Liam. “There was a lot of snogging and then he told me about Carly, Maggie’s mother.” 

“His ex?” 

Harry shook his head. 

Liam’s eyes grew big, “oh.” 

“They were friends - very close mates and she had been battling cancer for her entire life since she was 13 and she wanted to be a mum and he gave up his goal of being a doctor, to be a nurse and help raise a child that she wanted. They had Maggie and then she was healthy until Maggie was a little after being four when Carly got sick.” 

Liam’s entire body froze as Harry told him the story. He wasn't sure how to respond but he knew why Harry had fallen so hard for this man even if he didn't realize it at this point. 

“I had the same look, confused and happy and puzzled when Louis told me about it all,” Harry told Liam as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair. Rubbing his hands over his face he let out a huff. “He was so open about it all it kind of threw me off…” 

“He is a human,” Liam laughed, “unlike the troll you dated before - that isn’t the point. The point is that he told you what you wanted to know, and you are okay with it?” Not that you shouldn’t be, but the simple fact that it is a lot.” 

Harry nodded, he had time to think about that when he laid in bed wide awake unable to sleep. While Louis seemed to have a lot of baggage on him, he had the same, if not more. He didn’t care how Maggie came to be, and if anyone was to ask him he knew that what Louis did was noble, and loving. It also didn’t matter for Maggie was here and she made Louis into the man he was - the man that Harry was crushing on. “It’s weird, while most people would run, and have according to Louis,” Harry began to explain to Liam, “I don’t want to run.” 

“You have always loved kids, and not in the creepy way either.” 

Harry laughed, “it’s more than that but I can’t seem to find the words to explain what it is.” 

“Love.” 

“Liam.” 

Throwing his hands up in the air he just looked at his mate. 

“God, why do I bother?” Harry asked shaking his head. “I need to shower, and figure out a way to fix this,” he said pointing to his neck as he pushed himself off the bed and headed towards his bedroom door. 

“Jo will be home by the time you get done with your shower and I’m sure she will be willing to help, you might just have to entertain her with some stories about how your fight with an octopus went.” 

“I hate you,” Harry told Liam as he left his bedroom and headed to the toilet to shower for the second go round today. 

“No you don’t,” Liam said following Harry out made his way to the kitchen, “coffee?” 

“Yes please,” Harry said, “now I’m going to shower so if you need to piss or anything you will have to hold it for I’m enjoying my shower,” Harry stopped as Liam arched his brow and snickered. “Fuck off you dirty bastard!” he laughed shutting the door and locking it.

 

***

 

Louis handed the camera over to his sister and made his way to the table where his jacket laid next to all her stuff. “I really need to go Charlie,” he said not wanting to sound rushed and have her ask questions.  Charlie’s eyes were on the camera but he saw her face look confused at her brother. Grabbing his jean jacket he slipped it on over his black jumper with a high color. He had to dig in a bag of clothes he was going to donate, thankful that he hadn't this morning. 

“Why are you wearing that jumper?” Charlie asked her brother as she walked towards him to pack up her camera.

“It's cold.”

Knowing that was the shittiest reason Charlotte set her camera down before turning towards her brother and tried to grab his collar before he jerked away from her. Her eyes widened as she moved closer to Louis in an attempt to pull the collar down and see what he was hiding. “Last time you wore something like this was in A levels when you - oh fuck!” She yelled having it all click why Louis was wearing his jumper. 

“Go away,” Louis said backing away from Charlie but she wasn't going to let him get away that easy. As Louis tried to get away from his sister he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings and backed into a chair, tripping and landing on his arse. 

“Fook!” he hissed as Charlie sat on her brother, pinning him down she slapped his hands away as she yanked down the collar of his jumper. 

“Oh my sweet baby jesus!” Charlie  yelled her eyes wide and her mouth dropped as she saw her brother’s neck. Never in her entire life had she seen the marks on a human being as many, and as dark as the ones that Louis had. “I am going to ask you a simple question and you just need to answer, yes or no.” 

“Get off,” Louis huffed. 

“Was it Harry?” 

“Get off!” 

“Was this,” he said as she poked her brother’s neck, “and this,” she pointed to another one, “and all of these from Harry?” 

“Yes!” Louis yelled tired of having his sister sit on him, “now can you fooking get off?” Charlotte stood up and extended her hand out to her brother. Louis grabbed it, she helped her brother up and smiled at him. “Now, I have to go.” In his frazzled state he dropped his beanie and gloves as he pulled them from his Jean jacket pocket. Charlie stood there and watched her brother and smiled, there wasn't much more she could do at this point. Her body was still comprehending everything that had been admired by Louis officially and unofficially. 

“What?” he asked her before he left. His tone was annoyed and pissed off at her. Both would fade by the end of the day. 

“Nothing,” she said turning back to her camera and the bag of clothes she sported while Louis helped take photos for a class. “Be mysterious, it’s a new look for you,” she told him as Louis extended his middle finger to her and left the studio. The door slamming behind him as he jogged down the steps and made his way down the street towards the cafe. He was going to be late if he didn’t hurry up. He was tempted to get a cabbie but he didn’t want to waste the money on such a short trip. 

He wanted to live outside today. The first of November and if felt like fall, the crisp chill in the air, the smells, and maybe the way he was feeling had him feeling things more so than other times of the year. Pulling the collar of his jumper up over his mouth Louis smiled as he walked, his eyes no doubt looking like that of a child behind his glasses. He wanted to tell everyone about Harry and him, he wanted to get ontop of a double decker tour bus in London and sing out his feelings for this man he met a few months ago. He was going mental - or he had a brain tumor. Either or both were a possibility at this point. 

_ What are you doing Lou?  _ He asked himself though he knew the answer, he knew and he wasn’t worried about it either. His feet moved briskly over the pavement, the black contrasting with the light grey as his mobile buzzed, no doubt his sister or Harry asking him where he was. His heart raced a bit faster the closer he got to the cafe.  _ God you are like a child _ , he said as his hand began to swear under the gloves on his hands. Turning the corner he wasn’t sure why he suggested this cafe, maybe due to the nature that it was full of hipster Uni students and he knew that he wouldn’t run into parents, or other teachers or anyone that he knew. 

The place made him look like an old man, but it was okay. He might fit in today with the beanie, skinny jeans and jumper. Heading up to the entrance of the cafe a group of girls walked out and smiled up at him, his eyes following them as he cringed and headed on in. Opening the wood door, the bell rang and his feet moved across the slightly worn and mismatched tiled floor. His eyes scanned the cafe, the tables and chairs seemed to have been collected over time and placed in here. The walls were white and had photos from local artist, old film posters, posters for upcoming concerts and signs that seemed to be collected over different parts of London and stuck on the wall. Removing his hands from his jacket Louis tapped his leg as he worried that Harry had stood him up, but as his eyes moved past the counter where he could order his coffee and pastries to the corner where Harry had set up shop. 

He sat at a table, his lips moving to the words that he was listening to on his headphones. He was in a grey t-shirt, black skinny jeans and a olive green oversized jumper. His hair was all natural and pushed to one side of his head and the curls hung there. Taking a deep breath in, Louis headed towards the table. Harry listed his head, his face lit up and his hands quickly removed the headphone from his ears as he began to pack up his things as Louis walked over towards the table. His hands made quick work, putting his laptop and putting all the papers back into the folder and into his bag. 

“Hello,” Harry said as he stood up, his chair making a sounds as it moved against the tile floor. Louis smiled as he walked up to Harry, he placed a hand on his hip and went into give him a kiss as their noses bumped and both men laughed. “Do over?” 

“Yes,” Louis said as he placed his right hand on Harry’s face and gave him a kiss, gently and soft but his heart raced just as fast as it did yesterday. Pulling away, his fingers gently touched his lips, “How are you?” 

“Good, getting some work done, and trying to help my sister plan my parent’s wedding anniversary party that is in three weeks time, and grade papers and try and keep up the image as a perfect teacher,” he said as he took a seat and Louis sat down across from him. “How about you? I felt terrible leaving you with all the cleaning.” 

Louis waved his hand in the air as he slipped off his jean jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, “I wasn’t going to be able to sleep, so it was a good excuse for me to stay up instead of… just staying up.

Harry felt his face flush red, “I understand.” 

“So you and your sis are planning the get together for you parents?” 

“Kind of,” he admitted as his phone buzzed with an email. “My mum and dad invited the people and told them the date and then told them to contact Gemma and I. So we are left with that, and the food and the decorations.” 

“Fun.” 

“It’s not bad,” he admitted to him as he looked to see his cup of coffee was empty. “It’s more the trying to get the fine details worked out with us not being at home since that is where the event is taking place,” he laughed shaking his head. “But, that can be a conversation for another.” 

“Right,” Louis said as the waitress came over. “Coffee, black, refill for him and like some random pastries that you like.” She narrowed her eyes at Louis as if he had seven heads and one of them was purple but made a sound as if she understood and went to get the coffee and pastries. “So.” 

“So,” Harry replied as he laughed, “why is this so weird and hard?” 

Louis shrugged, “beats me, but I know a few things.” 

“Okay, we can start there,” Harry said as the waitress came back with there drinks and food. Grabbing a scone Louis broke off a piece and popped it into his mouth before he spoke, he was nervous eating at this point for he wasn’t even sure where to start and he didn’t want to say something and Harry not reciprocate those feelings. 

“I like you.” 

“That is a good place to start,” Harry said as he adjusted himself in the chair and leaned forward towards Louis. 

“I like you in more of the, ‘I fancy a snog’ kind of way. I like you like you and want to take you on proper dates with me and with Maggie,” Louis explained as he looked down at his coffee, his stomach turned as he spoke and he prayed to anyone that was listening that he didn’t vomit from nerves. “But, Maggie comes first. Her feelings and what is best for her will always come first and while I should be saying that this,” he said moving his hand back and forth between himself and Harry, “but it’s Maggie. I’m sorry but that is how it will be now and until I die.” 

Harry reached across the table, pulling Louis’s hand away from his coffee cup he gave it a squeeze, “I wouldn’t want it any other way Lou. When we start this, I want Maggie to know what is going on, whilst she might not need all the details, she should be in the loop. It’s a relationship with both of you that I’m going to build and I would never want you to think that I would want you to put her second or third on a list of importance.” 

Louis nodded, he felt a lump in his throat as he listened to the words from Harry, “thank you Haz. I - she and Charlie are the only family we have and I won’t do anything to lose her. Ever.” 

“You never have to,” Harry promised him. “It’s nice to know that I like like you back.” 

“Well, I mean you attacked me last night and practically stripped me of my clothes, so I would hope so,” Louis laughed as Harry grabbed a piece of the scone and threw it at Louis’s face. “Oi, act your age we are out in public Harry.” 

“You are a child Louis Tomlinson,” he laughed, closing his eyes as he listened to Louis giggle. “So what is next?” 

“I talk with Maggie,” explained Louis as he used his free hand and took a sip of his black coffee. “I will sit down with her when I get home from getting her at Niall’s and see what she thinks, though from the way my sister reacted I don’t think Maggs will be upset.” 

Harry’s eyes grew wide as he let go out Louis’s hand, “you told your sister?” 

“She pinned me to the ground and almost ripped my jumper off so yes,” he said shaking his head, “she might be small but she has the brute force of Bruce Banner. Anyway all she knows if that you gave me a shit ton of love bites and I look like a vampire or something attacked me in my sleep.” 

“Liam’s girlfriend covered mine up with makeup, I feel we were attacked by the same creature,” Harry said as moved his jumper and Louis could see the faint outlines of the marks he left on him. 

Louis shook his head as he laughed. That was all he could do around Harry, he felt the childlike spirit that he had come alive. Like is the switch inside of him had been flipped on and he was himself. A person he hadn't felt or seen in many years. “Sunday, my sister comes over and Maggie and I cook dinner. Why don't you join us? My sister can officially meet you, Maggie can then ask any questions she wants about us and I have an excuse to see you and kiss you some more.” 

“You are going to turn me into a bad teacher,” he said to Louis as he took a sip of his coffee. “But I would love to meet you sister and talk with Maggie. You sure she will be okay with it?” 

Louis nodded, “as long as you promise she is your students at school and she gets no special or different treatment.” 

“Never would have crossed my mind,” assured Harry as his phone went off again. “Sorry, party stuff….” He said as he trailed off turning it over to show off his case. “How do people make things official?” 

“Pictures?” Louis said but not 100 percent sure. “Why don't we just have it official with us and when people find out they do. The world can fook off. I'm happier than I have been in a long time and I won't let people take that from me.” 

Raising his coffee cup Harry cheered. Louis crapped his as the two men clicked their cups together. Laughing they finished off there coffee, Harry and Louis picking on the pastries as he got ideas of what food he would want for Sunday and Harry told him more about the party for his parents. For the moments he talked Louis watched Harry’s light up as he spoke about his parents, and there marriage. 

“They are such weird people,” he laughed shaking his head as he thought about his parents, “I secretly think that my mum was a hippie, even though she won’t confirm or deny if it’s true,” he told Louis as his phone went off yet again. “My dad was the one who seemed sane in the relationship, but they were the parents who let me and Gemma be ourselves which helped us when we got older to feel comfortable in our own skin.

“I hope I can do that for Maggs,” Louis admitted to him as he slipped his glasses up on the top of his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Some days I feel that I am, and more than not I feel that I’m not. But my mom told me many moons ago that is how you feel as a parent.” 

Harry set down the scone, wiping his hands on the napkin, “Well, you are doing a fantastic job Lou, so don’t worry,” he assured him with a smile. “If more kids were like her, our world would be a better place.” 

“That means a lot Haz, thank you for that,” he told him with a smile as he checked his mobile and saw that he had to get going to get his daughter. Pulling his billfold out when Harry held his hand out. “Nope, not going to happen this time,” he said to him as the waitress came back he handed her his card. “All of this charged to me, don’t listen to that strange man with his protesting,” he told her with a serious tone in his voice and Harry didn’t even protest. She looked confused but did as he said. 

“You are terrible.” 

“Boyfriends pay for stuff,” Louis said as the word came out of his mouth he smiled. “If that…” 

“Yeah,” Harry said his face turning red as he looked over to the wall and tried not to show Louis that he was blushing, but he was. “Yeah, no I like. I like it a lot,” 

“Good,” Louis said, “I will text you after I talk to Maggie - no I will call you. Is that okay?” 

Harry nodded, “yeah, I will probably headed back to my flat soon and get some stuff done there,” he told Louis. “Do you want me to bring anything on Sunday? I can make some cookies, or some bread, or some kind of cake,” he said as the waitress came back with the check and Louis signed the bill as Harry slipped his jacket on and made sure that he had everything packed up. “And don’t say nothing for I will end up up bringing something.” 

Rolling his eyes, Louis stood up and slipped on his jacket, “Cookies are perfect, you can surprise us with whatever kind you want.” 

“Pumpkin and sugar?” 

“If they are anything like your pumpkin muffins then yes please,” Louis laughed as both he and Harry walked out of the cafe together, the bell jingled as both men stood there and looked at each other, Louis isn’t sure what to do, and he didn’t want to have another mess up with a kiss, but he didn’t want to walk away from Harry and not kiss him. “So,” 

Harry smiled, taking his hands, he cupped Louis’s face, bent down a bit and kissed him. Louis’s arms wrapped around his neck and leaned into the kiss as Harry’s hands moved down to his waist. “Have a fantastic day,” Harry said to Louis as they pressed his forehead against Louis’s. “We should also get out of the way of the door so people can enter and leave,” he laughed as Louis felt his knees went weak as Harry was so close and spoke to him. He watched his lips move as he spoke to him, 

“I guess,” Louis said rolling his eyes. “I do need to get my daughter, can’t slack as a father.” 

“Never could slack,” Harry said as he kissed Louis one more time. “Safe travels to wherever Niall lives.” 

Louis stood up on his toes and kissed Harry again, “Have a good day,” he said, “god I never want to stop kissing you,” 

“Me either, but last time we didn’t stop we both looked like we were attacked by octopuses, and as much as that is nice, I work with children and they ask a lot of questions.” 

Louis snorted as he covered his mouth and laughed, “this is true, and we are in public, and as much as I would love for the world to know about us but it’s cold and my hands are cold,” he told him shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. “And I am really going to be late now,” he laughed kissing Harry on the nose as he headed away from the cafe and towards Niall’s. He had a pep in his step as he quickly texted Niall to let him know he was running a few minutes late, and ignoring the dozen of messages from his sister which were just vile combos of emoji’s that represented sex. 

He was happy that Niall was so close, but he also wished that he was farther away so he had a longer time to wipe the smile off of his face without having to answer any questions which he knew that he was about to have. Pressing his cheeks he tried to get the smile off his face, but no matter how he moved his face the smile stayed there. Permanent. He was screwed. Shaking his head, he pulled his beanie down to cover his hair which was in a much need for a wash. 

_ Okay, okay what are you going to tell your daughter?  _ Louis asked himself as his feet moved over the pavement and he looked down at his shoes, not wanting to give it away that he had just snogged Harry all last night and today.  _ I will just sit her down, and I will be honest with her, direct and tell her how I feel about Harry, and that I really like him and that I want to date him, and that no matter what he will be her teacher at school - that won’t change - and that I love her and none of that will change and that Harry is just going to be an addition to the unit they have.  _ Louis nodded, that was a decent way to tell his eight year old that he wanted to bang her teacher. 

_ Or, I can start off with making dinner, and then start with a question, on how she feels about Harry and then lead in with how nice he was and that sometimes when you meet someone you get this feeling and you want to see where it goes, and for him it was dating him - and that while they will be kissing, and other things they would never do it in front of her, and that there relationship wouldn’t infringe of there relationship and she would never come second.  _

“Someone looks out of it,” Niall’s voice said as Louis looked up from walking and saw that Niall was loading a birthday gift into the car for his son. “You about walked into a tree.” 

“Sorry,” he said shaking his head, “where is Maggs?” 

Niall pointed inside the house as he studied Louis face. His forehead was tense as if he was thinking about something but his eyes seemed to twinkle. Did his friend get laid at noon on a Saturday?! He knew that face and he saw it three times in his face. He was like Ron Swanson but instead of wearing a red shirt after getting laid he had a twinkle in his eyes and a pep in his step. 

“Something on your mind there Lou?”

“Hmmm no, tired,” he said not lying as he saw Niall raise his brow. “Not now.”

“Tonight,” he said as the front door opened and James came bolting out dressed for his party while his daughter was in a pair of black leggings, an oversized grey jumper that had a deer on it and her black Vans. Her hair wild and free under her beanie that matched her father's. “I swear Louis, she is your mini you,” Niall laughed as James stopped at the car, Maggie gave her best friend a hug and then gave Niall a hug before she made her way over to Louis. Her rucksack on her back and her duffle over her shoulder

“Why are you wearing a jumper?” she asked her father confused as she stopped in front of him. 

“Hello to you to,” Louis said as he bent down and gave his daughter a hug, picking her up from the ground he moved her from side to side as she laughed echoed out in the open air. Setting her back down she pushed her hair out of her eyes and examined her father. “What?” 

“You smell of coffee and Mr. Harry.” 

“You are crazy,” Louis told his daughter as he held up his middle finger to Niall. He held his hand over his son’s eyes. “Thank your Uncle again and wish him the best.” 

Maggie turned and waved to her Uncle and James, “what?” 

Niall laughed as he made a motion with his hands and Louis shook his head, his face was dead serious as his best mate laughed, doubling over thinking he was the funniest man in the entire god damn world. “If children weren’t around,” Louis told him as Niall smiled and waved. “Don’t wave, you have no right to wave to me like that,” he said shaking his head as Maggie looked up at her father puzzled by his actions. “Your Uncle is a tosser.” 

“Ah,” she said as she fell in step with her father. “Where is the car?” 

“I took the tube and then walked,” Louis explained to her, “Aunt Charlie needed help and then it ran over and didn’t have time to get the car.” 

Maggie nodded, “why didn’t you take the car to see Aunt Charlie?” 

“It’s beautiful out,” Louis said as he spun around, the sun making a once in a lifetime appearance here in London as they walked. “Plus, it’s fall and it was your mum’s favorite time of the year.” 

Reaching up Maggie took her father’s hand and they walked in silence. Louis enjoyed these moments the most with his daughter, he would listen to her humm, or sometimes she would bring up a question that they would mull over and then discuss later. But today, they just walked and enjoyed the breeze, the leaves changing and the sunshine. Louis’s eyes looked over at his daughter and it was hard to believe that she was eight and would be nine this coming year. He remembered when she was small enough for him to hold in his arms. Now, she was a young woman who spoke with the wisdom of a fourteen year old, has felt pain like someone in there twenties and who has been lucky to see the world. Even with all of that he felt as if he missed time with her, talking, or just being together with his job and with Carly’s illness, times in her life that were filled with such sorrow when they should have been filled with running around a park, laughing with friends and having a semi functioning family. 

“So, how much loot did you and James get?” Louis asked her as they passed  _ The Black Cat Cafe _ . “This duffle weights a lot more now than it did when you packed for the Horan’s.” 

Maggie smiled as she looked up at her father, “we got a lot dad!” her voice growing louder as she said the words. “People loved our costumes so much they gave us extra candy which James loved and I’m pretty sure that Uncle Niall took about half his chocolates,” she laughed. 

“Can I steal a few?” 

“I have a bag with all your favorites just for you,” she explained as they stopped at the end of the street and waited for the crosswalk to let them know they could cross. “I made a small bag for Aunt Charlie and then one for Mr. Harry as well,” she explained to her father as Louis’s body tensed up with that name. “He was telling the clas his favorite candies he liked so I pulled some out for him.” 

Leaning down Louis kissed the top of her head, “your mother did well with you.” 

“I learned it from both of yous,” she reminded him as the signal turned and they headed across the street. “So, how was your night?” she asked her father as Louis shrugged. “Did mum’s parents call?” 

Louis stopped and looked at Maggie, “no why?” 

“You are acting weird dad, and you only act weird when you are keeping something from me. I know I’m only 8 but I need to know if they are being mean to you.” 

_ Better tell her know, you don’t want her to have an anxiety attack over those bastards _ . 

Kneeling down Louis looked at his daughter, “take a deep breath in,” he told her as she did. “Let it out,” she did that several times as he held her hand and she gave it a squeeze. “You know I would tell you if they called and wanted anything,” he told her. “Nothing bad is going on,” he also promised her as her body seemed to relax. “Heart okay?” 

Maggie nodded. 

“Okay, good,” he said as he waited for her eyes to go back to their normal state and not have this glassed over look to them. “But you know I know when you are lying to love,” he said as he looked at her and she tried to smile. Turning around Louis stuck his hand in the air for a cabbie. As one pulled up to the side he quickly opened up the door and Maggie climbed in and he followed after. Giving the driver their address he sat across from his daughter as she set her rucksack next to her. “Have they tried to contact you?” 

She shrugged, “You got like this before we moved away for a long time and I don’t want that. Not again, at least not now.” 

“I promise on your mother that we are not moving,” Louis told Maggie as he held out his hand and she put hers in his and he gave it a squeeze. “I just have a - I had a friend over last night,” he said just spitting it out, this topic was like when he would reset a bone better to just go for it then to wait to long. 

“Did Mr. Harry like the flat?” 

Louis shook his head, “how do you know it was him?” 

“Dad, it’s so obvious,” his daughter told him as she rolled her eyes as if he had just told her he realized the sky was blue. “What did you do?” 

Louis was dumbfounded at his daughter, how long had she know? Had she talked about this with anyone and if so who else had this notion that he liked her teacher. “Watched movies and had Chinese… why are you so calm?” 

“You are able to like people,” she explained to him. “It doesn’t mean you love mum less.” 

“When did you know?” Louis asked her glad that they were in a cabbie for he wasn’t sure how well his legs would have been working after Maggie just called him out for liking Harry.

Maggie looked at her father and just smiled, at this point she looked just like Carly as she smiled and her eyes just looked at her father as if he was being stupid and she knew forever. “Since we went to Matilda.” 

God he was that obvious?

“He made you laugh like you use to back when mum was alive,” she explained to him, “and you seem happier when he is around, like how you were when mum and grandma and grandpa were alive,” she explained to her father as her eyes looked out the cabbie window. “I know that you loved mum in a different way and that is okay. Love has many forms.” 

Louis shook his head, his mouth opened but no words came out. His daughter was beyond wise and at times he had to make sure that he was the adult and not the child when it came to speaking with Maggie. “When did you get so smart?” 

“You,” have been teaching me since I was born silly.” 

Running his hands over his facial hair, Louis took a deep breath in, “so, you wouldn’t be upset if I called Mr. Harry my boyfriend and we went on dates, sometimes the two of us and sometimes the three of us? And we might kiss in front of you.” 

Maggie nodded, “yeah, that is what people do when they like each other and are married,” she told him plain as day. Aunt Areyna and Uncle Niall kiss all the time. James thinks it’s nasty it think it’s nice.” 

“100 percent sure?” 

“Ten million thousand percent sure,” she promised him as the cabbie pulled up to their flat. Louis handed him his car to charge the fare as Maggie got out, grabbing her rucksack and duffel bag. Louis thanked the drive and got out, picking up the duffel he held the gate open and Maggie headed in towards the door, “I do have one concern,” she told her father as her voice grew serious as he opened up the flat door and they headed on in. “Will Mr. Harry still be my teacher?” 

Louis took a deep breath in and nodded his head, “yes,” he assured her, “He will treat you like a normal student so you don’t need to worry about being weird.” 

“But weird is okay,” she reminded Louis as her feet walked up the worn wooden steps up to their home. “Mr. Harry is a bit weird, you are a lot weird,” she laughed as Louis gasped and stood at the steps pretending to be dumbfounded at his daughter's comment. Maggie was laughing so hard that she had to sit down on the steps to let the laughing fit pass her. “Dad,” she said between laughs as a tear rolled down her face, “stowp it,” she managed to wheeze as Louis took the steps two at a time, scooped Maggie up and carried her into the flat, her eyes still watering from laughing so hard.  Walking into the flat Louis carried his daughter over to the couch and dropped her down as she was still laughing. He dropped the duffel on the chair and took a seat on the coffee table and looked at her, she cleared her throat as she sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I love you dad.” 

“I love you more,” he promised her as he kissed his daughter on the nose. “So, with all that being said, would it be okay if Mr. Harry came over for dinner tomorrow?” 

Louis unleashed a beast, Maggie jumped up to her feet on the couch and looked at her father, her eyes wide and crazy, like if she was a gremlin and Louis had just given her water. She leaned over, her hands resting on her father’s shoulders as he feet were on the couch, “dad that is brilliant! It’s fantastic! It’s amazing!” she said as Louis watched as his daughter stood up, and jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen, “what are we going to eat?” she asked opening up the fridge and looking in there. “What we eat is vital to Mr. Harry staying with you,” she told him shutting the fridge and going to look in the cabinet. “Dad why don’t we have any food?” 

“We have food,” he assured her as he stood there not wanting to take his shoes off for he knew they would end up at Tesco. Maggie threw her hands up in the air and turned to her father. “Do we need to go to Tesco?” 

“Yes,” she told her father as he walked to the door and looked over at him, “dad we don’t have all day. We have  _ Doctor Who  _ on in like four hours.” Taking a deep breath in Louis headed towards the door and headed out of the flat to the Tesco that was around the corner. “What are we going to have dad? This is just… this is big!” she said to him as she walked her little legs off. “Dad hurry!” 

“Enchiladas,” Louis told her almost yelling for she was so far ahead of him. “Oi!” he called out but she was still in his line of sight but she was hurrying her ass up. “She is going to be the fooking death of me,” he said to himself as Maggie stopped outside Tesco and waited for her father. “Okay you need to chill the heck out,” he told her. Maggie nodded at her father. “Enchiladas, rice and beans,” he told her as they walked in and grabbed a trolley.    
  


Maggie hopped up on the end of the end of the trolley, “homemade guacamole,” added Maggie as Louis began to push it down the aisles and grab the food that they needed for Sunday. “Can I call Aunt Charlie and tell her who is coming! She is going to be so happy.” 

Louis had no words for his daughter or his sister. Both of them were going to be the death of him. He never realized that until they had moved back how much Maggie would team up against him with his sister. “She knew?” Louis asked his daughter as he stopped and put some avocados in the trolley as his daughter nodded her head and grabbed some tomatoes. “You and her are going to be the death of me,” he told his daughter as she hopped off the trolley and grabbed a few things and tossed them in. “What are those?” 

“We need snacks at the house,” she informed her father. Louis gave up trying to fight this, setting his daughter’s duffle bag in the trolley as they kept on walking and Maggie just filled the cart up, while he put the items in they needed, Maggie added the things they didn’t need but he was going to let it slide this time around at Tesco. “We need to hurry. I don’t want to miss  _ Doctor Who _ .” 

He just looked at Maggie and she knew that they wouldn’t. Finishing up the shopping the cart was filled with more than what he thought he was going to, but that is what happens whenever he takes his daughter to the store. “No more,” he laughed as he held up the random box of Oreo’s. She smiled and headed to the tills to checkout. Following her with the cart Louis felt the weight off his chest. He was glad that Maggie understood, and was happy for him. More than that he saw the way that Harry was with his daughter and the way she loved him even more than she thought she did. 

Louis had read and had heard horror stories from work from people who were divorced and how their children reacted when they found out they were going to date again. More than anything, Louis was thrilled that Maggie understood, for someone so young she had grow up and mature. He credit it all to the genes from Carly and not the Tomlinson side. Not sure where his life was going next, he was happy and like his daughter pointed out, he was happy like he use to be for the first time in a long time.

 

***

 

“There you go,” Charlotte said as she stood back and examined her brother’s neck. “I mean, those things are deep and dark so they just look less… dark,” she explained to her brother as they stood in his bathroom and she put her makeup away. “I’m no makeup artist but it’s better than wearing those hideous jumpers,” she laughed as Louis leaned forward and looked at his neck in the mirror ignoring his sister's comments. “I’m proud of you Lou.” 

Standing back he looked at his sister, “for confessing I like someone?” he asked her as he pulled down on his dark red cotton v-neck shirt. “Does this look okay?” 

 

“Yes,” Charlie told her brother zipping up her makeup bag and slipping it into her messenger bag, “but no, I’m proud of you on life Louis. You had everything taken from you and you just said ‘fuck it’ and kept on going.” Louis wasn’t sure where this was coming from his sister or why, but he stood here and listened to her as she pushed her short brown hair behind her ears and they stood toe to toe in the toilet. “And yes, I know that you had a lot of ups and downs with things and stuff but you kept going and you did it all, you are standing here and I have not see you smile this genuinely since Carly grew ill.” 

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” He asked her as he turned to the mirror and began to fix his fringe that fell over his forehead. “I have been happy.” 

Rolling her eyes Charlotte turned around and left the bathroom, only to stop and look back at her brother, “yes, but this is a happiness where your heart is happy. It’s something that I haven’t seen in a long while and I’m happy to see again,” she clarified to her brother. “Not covering up the ink?” 

Louis looked down at the tattoos on his arm and smiled, turning towards his sister he shook his head, “nope, Harry likes it and it’s part of who I am. I might cover them for work but why would I cover them when a man I like comes to my home?” 

“Because you are weird sometimes and do stupid things,” she told her brother turning and headed down to the kitchen to check on the food.

Leaning into the sink Louis checked his neck and then stood back and looked at himself in the mirror. He was a 35 year old man, he had grey hair’s randomly around his temples, his eyes forever had bags under them, he wore glasses - contacts were just painful for his eyes and didn’t work anymore. He had a stomach on him from the years of lack of working out and being a father. This was who he was now, yes he should start running again and maybe he will. Taking a deep breath in Louis counted to ten before he headed on out of the bathroom and headed out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. As soon as his feet hit the ground he turned the corner and saw that Maggie had already set the table and was looking at the oven to see how the food was cooking. 

He grabbed the blanket up from the ground and folded the blanket as he walked over and set it in the basket that he had gotten a few days ago, “how is it going?” 

Maggie spun around and smiled up at her father, “fantastic!” 

Setting the blanket down he walked over to where she was standing, bending down he looked in the oven and checked on the enchiladas, “good. Are you sure that you are okay with this?” 

Maggie rolled her eyes, Louis could almost hear them and the sigh. 

“Okay, that conversation is done,” he laughed as he heard a knock on the door downstairs. “Wait,” he said holding out his hand as he took a deep breath in and headed down the steps. With each step his heart raced a bit faster and he felt as if he was either going to pass out, his knees shook and he felt the nervous sweat dripping down his back. As soon as his feet his the ground he took his two steps and stood at the door. 

_ Maggie is happy. You are happy. Don’t overthink this. _ He told himself as he reached out and opened up the door, as he did so the sky was changing colors and Harry stood there, his legs looking like chicken legs in his tight black trousers that he was sporting. He had on a nicely pressed jean shirt that was buttoned up to his chin as he wore a black peacoat over and his feet were in his normal black pointy boots. He smiled and Louis’s chest felt relaxed. 

“Hey handsome,” Harry said to Louis as he leaned forward and kissed him on the lips before he pulled back quickly, his eyes closed, “sorry I don’t know if that is okay with Magdalena being around…” 

“She is upstairs and it is okay,” he told him not sure but he loved the way his stomach felt when Harry kissed him. “Let me help,” he said grabbing the bag from his hand as his arm dropped a bit from the weight of it all. “Holy shit what is in here?” he asked Harry as he pulled the bag closer to his eyes and looked in it. There were about four dozen cookies, and a bottle of wine. “You know there is only four people, not forty?” 

Harry shook his head and grabbed the bag from his head and headed on up the steps leaving Louis there to be a dick. 

“Oi! Let me be romantic and carry the bag,” Louis called out after Harry as he took the steps two at a time to catch up to the man. But to no avail, Harry’s legs were longer and he was able to reach the landing faster than Louis. Stepping onto the landing he headed on into the flat where Maggie was helping Charlotte in the kitchen. 

“Hi,” Harry said as he walked over to the counter and set his bag down. “I’m Harry. Now we can officially meet,” he said as he held his hand out for Charlotte and she smiled shaking his hand. 

“Now you are not the creepy man who came to hit on my brother.” Harry’s face flushed red as she said those words. God he was never going to be able to live that down. Ever. “Okay, let me grab the food before it burns, since you and my brother have a bad habit of doing that as well.” 

“Hey you,” he said to Maggie as she gave Harry a hug. “How are you Maggs?” 

“Fantastic! Excited that you are here, dad made the best dinner ever! He even made his famous guacamole!”

“Yumm,” Harry said as Louis finally arrived. “And I was partially to blame for the pizza burning.”

“No, it's all my brother.”

“Shut it,” Louis hissed at his sister as he walked into the flat. “I will get the food, get Harold a drink and we can eat,” he explained as he walked over and opened up the oven, grabbing the oven mitts to get the pan with the food in it. “Before he offers to help, get him a drink and sit him down, the man is to nice and will start helping with something.” 

Charlotte laughed, pouring the margarita and handed it to Harry, wrapping her arm around his shoulder she walked him over to the table where Maggie was pouting her Sprite that her dad was going to let her have tonight. “You are a guest, my brother shall slave away in the kitchen and do all the work while we enjoy,” she said and then smiled, “you more so than I from this angle.” 

Harry turned his head and saw that he had the perfect view of Louis’s arse as he bent down and pulled the enchiladas from the oven and set them on the stove top. “It’s a good angle,” he added as Louis spun around and shook his head. “She started it,” he added with a smile as he took a sip of his drink. Turning he looked at Maggie who was sitting across from him, “how are you tonight?” 

“Good. Do I call you Mr. Harry?” she asked Harry as Louis walked over with the pan from the oven. “Or Harry. Or the weird name my dad calls you.” 

Cocking his head, Harry turned and looked at Louis, “you have a weird name for me?” 

“You can call him Harry or Mr. Harry,” Louis said ignoring the question that was posed by Harry as she brought over the guacamole, salsa and chips. “So we have rice,” he pointed to the bowl with the lid on it, “enchiladas the ones going this way are veggie and the ones here,” he said sitting down as he pointed to them, “are chicken. We opted for those tonight. We also have homemade guacamole, and salsa.” 

Harry knew that Louis cooked with Maggie but he never realized that he cooked cooked. This put his one put stir fry to shame. “This all looks amazing,” he told Louis. “Did you help?” 

“Yes, I helped with the salsa and the shredding of the chicken and setting the table,” Maggie said as Louis put an enchilada on her plate and then did a scoop of rice. “I told my dad that we had to make sure that we had everything perfect for you,” she explained to Harry as she took the spoon in the guacamole and put some onto her plate. 

“It’s more than perfect,” he assured her with a smile as Louis set some food on his plate, “thank you,” he told him as he put the rice on himself and then added the chips and guacamole. “How was your time with James trick or treating?” 

“Fantastic! We got extra candy because Aunt Charlie’s costumes were so amazing,” she told Harry as she used her fork to cut her enchilada. “I have a bag for you,” she offered to him as Harry held up his hand as he tasted this homemade guacamole by Louis. His eyes grew wide as he chewed. “Told you it’s amazing dad,” she told her father as Louis shook his head. 

“You see,” he told Harry, “this is her out of the classroom.” 

“It’s the Tomlinson sass, she can’t help it,” interjected Charlie with a laugh. “So, Harry, have you ever thought ‘hey I have the perfect body to be a model I should model for my boyfriend's sister’s clothes so she can graduate from Uni this year and find a job that pays the bills’?” 

“Subtle Char,” Louis told his sister annoyed as he rolled his eyes a bit pissed that she said that to Harry. But he turned and watched as he was quick - a quick wit was needed to deal with him, and Maggie. 

“I have been told that,” he told Charlie as he dipped his chip in the guacamole again, “but none of the boyfriends had the sisters that needed my amazing limbs until now.” 

Charlie smirked, her mouth opened as she picked up her drink and took her fork and pointed at Harry, “I like him. Keep him.” 

Louis just looked at his sister and ate his food. 

“Oy, it’s a bit of fun,” Harry said as he rested his hand on Louis’s knee and gave it a squeeze. “Do you need a model Charlotte?” 

“Yes, and my brother hates me and won’t do it,” she explained to Harry. “Or he would but he is convinced that he can’t or some rubbish excuse that he has come up with and I allowed him to use it and found a desperate Uni student to give a free meal to for their help.” 

“Well, I’m free,” Harry told with a wink and then shook his head, “not like. Oh lord,” Harry laughed shaking his head. Clearing his throat he turned to Maggie, his face beat red, “So, what else did you do that night?” 

Maggie pressed her lips together and thought about what they did, “Aunt Aryena got Nandos for all of us for dinner and we ate a lot of chocolates and watched movies and fell asleep on the couches and then woke up and had breakfast and my dad came to get me,” she explained as she ate her dinner. “Standard times with James. I mean we finished our game of Peggy and Steve in an alternative universe,” she explained to her teacher. Her eyes looked over at her father as he went from looking at Harry and her. “Did you have fun with my dad? I saw the movies that were out and you watched a lot.” 

“It was a lot of fun,” Harry told her not sure how much detail to give about his actual evening. Taking a bite of the food Louis made. “Louis, this is amazing. You are truly a phenomenal cook.” 

Not sure if he was saying this for he was being nice or that he was an amazing cook. “Thank you Harold,” he told him a bit to nervous to eat the food he had spent most of the morning and afternoon in the kitchen prepping. “Did you get the food set for your parents anniversary party?” 

Harry nodded, as he went on to talk about the party Louis listened, Maggie added in what she thought what would be good to have at a party - Charlie watching. She knew her brother better than he knew himself. She had grown up and watched him, she knew by a single look how he was thinking and now she saw the light hearted, joyful childish brother she had grown up with. The boy who would dress up with her and have tea parties, they would come up with songs and perform concerts for their mum and dad. They would stay up late talking as they were in school, no matter how old Louis was he always made time for his sister. While she had friends who had this terrible relationships with their elder siblings Charlotte never complained. She loved the relationship that she had with Louis and as they grew older the better it got. She had seen her brother broken, gutted and lost. He was a ghost for a week, his eyes vacant and glassed over as if his body had been going through the motions while everything else turned off. When he came back from his time away he was better, there was a life there now behind his eyes but when Louis sat next to Harry he came alive. His entire body was part of the living world and the way his eyes lit up as he spoke gave her hope that her brother was fully back from the dead. 

“Dad how could you be mean to mean to Aunt Charlie?!” Maggie laughed as Louis shook his head and glared at his sister for starting this drama. 

“You pushed your sister off the bed?” 

Holding up his hand, “okay hold up, there is more to the story. She was jumping where I was, and she broke her collarbone and I felt so bad that I took off school to take care of her instead of my mum,” Louis laughed as he shook his head, pushing his glasses up on his head and rubbed the tears from laughing from his eyes. “It wasn’t a mean push.” 

Charlie clocked her head as they sat at the table talking, the plates were empty and the food needed to be boxed up but that could wait. “Yes, a push of love,” she shook her head at her brother as Louis rolled his eyes. “I can clean up,” she told her brother standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“Desert?” Maggie asked her father as she looked over at the bag that Harry brought. He turned in his chair and saw the time, “please, it’s a special occasion I can go to bed a bit later.” 

“Shower, jimjams and then we can have some with milk,” he told her as Maggie slid off her chair and headed towards her room.  “Harry will still be here.” She narrowed her eyes. “I will make him sit there until you are done.” She smiled and went to her room to get her jimjams and shower. Louis pushed himself back away from the table and began to help his sister, as Harry stood up he shook his head and held out his hand. “I told her that you would sit right there.” 

“True,” Harry told him knowing it was just an excuse for him not to help out with the work. “Dinner was good Lou, and I’m not just saying that either.” 

“I had to learn to cook, you can only eat so many takeaways until you get sick of it and if you want your daughter to have proper meals you have to cook food,” Louis told him as he began to box up the leftovers. “I’m making you a container to bring home, you can eat it, bin it, or bring it to lunch.” 

“So domestic,” Charlie said as Louis poked his sister. “Jesus. Ow.” 

“Shut it,” he told her handing her the pan to wash. 

“So, since the little ears aren't around, what made you attracted to my brother?” Charlotte asked as she dodged her brothers finger poke. “Hey, I need to know.”

“His heart,” Harry told her. “How much he cares for Maggie speaks that of his character, and he has a nice arse.”

“Oy!” Louis laughed handing his sister another dish. 

Harry stacked the plates up as handed Louis the bowls as he walked over to the table. “The way he is with kids, he talks to them as young adults and listens. It's a gift to have that patience and heart for children.”

“You are making me blush,” Louis said as he rinsed the dishes off and put them in the dishwasher. “Tea or coffee?” 

“Coffee,” Harry told him as Louis grabbed the French press and filled the kettle up with water. “If it's too much work.”

“Stop,” Louis said hitting the top down and putting it on to boil as his sister finished cleaning up he prepped a tea for her, the French press and two coffee cups and one of milk for Maggie. “Anything fun get done today?” 

Harry shrugged, he hated not helping, “my sister and I talked in the phone, I helped a mate of mine. He is an ambassador for this shoe company so we went out and did some photos for him to post and then I got lunch with Liam. It was a busy but relaxed Sunday I guess,” Harry explained to him as he got up and grabbed his cookies. Walking back over he set the containers in the nose clean table.

“These smell fooking wicked!” Louis said grabbing a pumpkin one and popping it into his mouth. Harry reached out, grabbing his hand he pulled Louis over towards him. “Hi,” he said looking down at the man he wanted to kiss so bad but knew that Maggie would be out in a matter of seconds. “Have a good time?”

Harry nodded as of on cue Maggie walked in. Her curls laid flat in her head as she sported a pair of leggings and an oversized black t-shirt that was no doubt Louis’s at one point. “Aunt Charlie can you braid my hair?”

“Why don't you munch on those in your room and I can braid your hair,” Charlie said to her niece as she looked over at her brother and gave him a wink. Louis rolled his eyes for the fact Charlie made it seem like they would just go at it like rabbits when they were gone for two minutes. Maggie on the other hand looked gutted at the idea of not staying up. “Maggs,” she said to her and she understood. 

Huffing she didn't want to miss the time with Harry but she agreed. Walking over she kissed her father and gave him a hug and then walked over to Harry. Standing there she placed her hands in Harry’s shoulders and looked at him, into his eyes, “don't hurt my dad. He has had a lot of bad things happen to him and I don't want this one to be a bad thing.”

Harry reached across, resting his hands on her shoulders and looked at this amazing young woman in her eyes, “I promise you I will never hurt your father, I will make sure I do all that I can to make him smile and be happy as well as you.” 

Removing her hands she wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck and have him a hug. “Thank you Mr. Harry.”

Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and have her a hug back. “Thank you for letting me date your father.” 

She nodded, letting go she grabbed her cookies and headed to her bedroom with her aunt. Louis heard the door shut and he turned to Harry, grabbing the coffee he handed him his black coffee and sat next to him. He took a sip of his own and had no real words for Harry. 

“You okay?” 

“I want to make out with your face so bad,” Louis said as he took a sip of his coffee and Harry choked on his coffee. “I speak the truth.”

Harry shook his head as he looked at the coffee mug. “Thank you for this,” he said as Louis looked at him a bit confused. “I know how special these dinners are, at least I know the importance from Maggie and for being able to enjoy and experience this time with you, Maggie and your sister means a lot to me.” 

Reaching over, Louis took his hand and have it a squeeze, “what better way to see if you would run,” he joked as Harry rolled his eyes. “I kid, no this was more for me and how this would work and if it's did or didn't.”

“Kind of just pushed me into the deep end didn't you?” 

Louis nodded with a smile. “Can you handle this?”

Harry pressed his lips together, the flat was lived in, a basket of laundry sat in the corner, the couch was well loved, the walls were adorned with photos of Louis and Maggie. His eye then turned to the man in front of him and everything seemed right. Leaning forward he cupped Louis’s face and kissed him gently on the lips. “Yes you silly man. I want this, I want the chaos and I want this,” he said placing his hand and Louis’s chest. “That sounded like a line from a movie.

“A poorly written one,” Louis laughed kissing him. “But eh it's all good.”

“Such a romantic.”

“I try,” he said sitting back and sipping his coffee. “You don't have to model for Charlie.”

Harry nodded, “I know, but I want to,” he assured him. “So when she leaves can we make out on each other's faces?

“Yes please!” 


	10. Rewind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on all the chapters! I also want to thank you for sticking with me with this one - I have had about three weeks of craziness with my mom being in town, my birthday, my anniversary with my boyfriend and oh yeah, I survived a Hurricane. I hope that you all enjoy and like always comments are much loved. 
> 
> If you ever want to connect outside of this you can hit me up on Twitter (@violet_janou) or Email (violetjanou@yahoo.com)
> 
> XO  
> Violet

Louis stood there, the wind blowing as he stood outside in the walkway of Harry’s flat. He had been standing there for twenty minutes pacing back and forth as he waited to knock on the door and pick Harry up for their date. He didn’t want to be to early, he didn’t want to be too late either. His entire body was jumping, his nerves seemed to be dialed up to 20 and he wasn’t sure if he was going to vomit from nerves or piss from anxiety. He had been to the toilet several times when at home not sure what his body wanted to do or if it was both at once. As his black vans moved over the pavement he began to second guess his clothing choices. 

_ Why did you wear this? You wanted to take him someplace nice and you couldn’t even wear dress shoes? Maybe you should just leave, get a pair and then say that you are running late _ , Louis told himself as he made the small u-turn and began to walk the opposite away in front of his flat.  _ Maybe you should just reschedule the date, _ he then thought and shook his head. No, he couldn’t do that to Harry. Ever. 

Coming to a stop Louis stood at the doormat that said ‘The Neighbors Have Better Stuff’. Taking a deep breath in, Louis removed his hands from his jacket pockets, forming his left hand into a fist he knocked on the red door three times before he had his hand drop to the side and he waited. He at first didn’t hear anything but soon he heard some movement and with each step his heart began to race faster and his knees felt as if they were going to give (which could happen since he had bad knees thanks to his mum). He heard some muffled words before the footsteps got to the front door. He almost had the mind to turn around and take off running and just pretend he was sick when he called from the car, but by the time he had put the plan together in his head, the white door opened and a man who wasn’t Harry stood there with a cheeky smile on his face, he as in track pants, a jumper that said ‘Hogwarts Alum’ on it. 

“The famous Louis ‘give Harry a million hickey’s’ Tomlinson,” he said as he felt his face turn red and he looked down at his shoes. This was not how he wanted people to know him, but if it was then he was going to have to deal with it. Liam let out a laugh as he shook his head, “I’m just messing with you mate,” he said to him as Louis let out a sigh of relief and looked back up at Liam. “Harry is still getting ready, but come on in,” he told him as he moved out of the way and showed him into the flat.

He had never been to Harry’s place, he knew he shared the flat with a mate (Maggie explained it was her Phys Ed teacher and he was funny). He had pictured Harry's flat, just from how the man presented himself, the way he spoke and just his imagination. Walking in, it was how he pictured, the couches were new, while the kitchen table in the eating area was used, no doubt in Uni. The art on the wall was part Harry with photos of places around London, and home and a few other places he had traveled in his years. There was art on the wall that seemed to have been purchased for the price more than anything else. The furniture was a mix of old, stuff that parents would have given them, and some new. The surfaces had photos of Liam and who Louis assumed was his girlfriend, family and brothers as well as photos of him and Hazza. Then a few photos of Harry with his sister, nephew and his mum and dad. There was also a handful of empty picture frames that were mixed in. 

_ Ex boyfriend frames _ he thought as his eyes looked over and saw the worn pillows, the blankets hung on the back of the couches. A few candles were spread around the flat, no doubt the work of Harry. He seemed like the candle type, the good candle type at that. From the living room he saw the two bedroom doors and the single bathroom that was in the flat. 

“Liam, Maggie in in my Phys Ed class,” he said as he held out his hand and Louis shook it. “She is funny, not the most coordinated but she tries.” 

Louis couldn’t help but laugh, “sadly she got her mother’s coordination skills and not mine which decent for sports,” he told him as all the stories about Liam now made sense to him that Maggie had told him, and the ones that Harry had shared about his Uni days. 

“Footie player?” 

Louis nodded. 

“Harry mentioned it in passing one time, or several,” he joked as he walked into the kitchen, opening up the fridge he grabbed a water bottle and shut it with his foot. “So,” he said as Louis knew where this was going. Yes he had been on enough dates, as well as he had seen his own father do this when giving men who wanted to date Charlie ‘the talk’.  “Harry doesn’t have an older brother, and well his sister will be so smitten that he is dating someone I need to give ‘the talk’,” Liam explained as he opened up the water bottle and looked at Louis. “You seem like a nice bloke but Harry is like a brother to me, he is the brother I never had and I know that you won’t intentionally hurt him, but I want him to be treated with respect, kindness and love at all times.” 

Louis felt as if Liam was Harry’s father and he was back in A-Levels. He nodded his head as Liam looked at him, just stared at him as if he was nothing. He was going to be a good father giving this speech to his son and or daughter one day. 

“I love him to much to see shit happen to him again.” 

“I won’t,” Louis promised him as he looked him in the eyes, “I give you my word as a father, a brother, and someone who cares deeply for the man who reminds me of a baby giraffe I will never hurt, disrespect or strip away his character,” he promised Liam. He watched as his face went from serious to soft, almost as if he was going to cry by the words that Louis had just spoken to him. “I like the flat,” he said clearing his throat as Liam walked out from the kitchen and over to the couch where his laptop was. 

“Harry did most of this,” he said as he motioned to the decorating, “we split it, Jo has her fingerprint in some areas but it’s all Harry,” he told him. “He said that your flat is cozy.” 

“Messy, cozy isn’t the word,” Louis corrected him as the white door on his left opened up and Harry walked out. His breath seemed to be taken away from him as he looked at him. He walked out, radiant, his slender legs moving as his hair was styled back, his hair natural with curls but tamed and pulled to the side. His black trousers were fitted and showed off his thin legs and nice arse. Ontop he had on a black shirt, tucked in with white polka dots all over it. He had slipped on his black fitted suit jacket with a lavender pocket square. His black boots clicked on the hardwood floors as he turned to Liam, not even realizing that Louis was there. 

“Does this look to bougie?” 

“No, it fits you,” Louis said as Harry turned around his eyes wide as Louis smiled, “I like that,” he said as he touched where the pocket square would be on his jacket if he had worn one. “Colour to.” 

Harry turned to Liam, his face pissed as he pointed a finger at him, “I hate you,” he hissed turning towards Louis he smiled but wasn’t happy that he didn’t know that he was there. “Sorry about that.” 

Louis shrugged, “it was cute, I’m glad I’m not the only one who was stressed about what to wear,” he joked as Harry walked towards him and over to grab his jacket. “It was nice meeting you Liam, we should grab a pint some time, I’ll bring my mate Niall along.” 

Liam turned around and nodded, “I like him, keep him,” he said as Harry rose his middle finger. 

“Let’s go,” Harry said as he led Louis out of the flat before Liam could say anything more. Shutting the door he slipped his jacket on and turned to Louis, “Hello.” 

“Hi,” Louis said wrapping his arms around Harry and kissed him gently on the lips. “Are you ready for the best goddamn date you have ever had?” 

Harry laughed, shaking his head as he kissed Louis “Yes, lead the way mysterious one.” 

Louis scrunched his nose and made a face as he took Harry’s hand and they left his flat. Harry talked about his day, and how he felt productive for he was able to get the rest of his laundry done, the groceries as well as papers graded and lesson plans planned to a point. Louis listened and enjoyed hearing Harry talk, it calmed him down internally. “So,” he said as he let go of Louis hand, he turned around and walked backwards, his boots clicking on the pavement as they walked, “where are you taking me Mr. Tomlinson? Someplace nice so you can show me off to the world?” 

“If you would be so lucky,” Louis said as he grabbed his coat cuff and pulled Harry back over to him, “You are such a flirt Mr. Styles.” 

“It feels good to flirt again,” he said to him as he broke away and walked ahead of Louis. “So, what is the plan?” He asked turning around so he could face Louis as he walked backwards feeling giddy like a schoolboy about this date. 

Louis shrugged, “I don't know,” he said as Harry cocked his head and gave him a deadpan look. Biting his bottom lip he let out a snort and turned his head away from Harry. “I have a daughter, begging only makes me want to say nothing,” he reminded Harry. 

“Ahh,” he said holding up his finger, “But, remember I teach a class of 20 children that same age,” he said to Louis. “So who really can win this pissing match?” Louis arched his brow and shrugged his shoulders as he kept on walking, keeping his lip tight about where they were going. “Oh yeah?” 

He smiled. 

“I hate you.” 

“No you don’t,” Louis laughed as he slapped Harry’s arse and took off running down the street. 

“Man child!” Harry laughed as he ran after him, his toes hitting the top of his boot as his feet screamed for him to stop. Louis was fast, he watched as his legs, though shorter than his own seemed to be like poetry as he ran, his feet barely touching the pavement with each step. Harry got about three good jogs in before he stopped, “Louis!” he called out as he bend over, placed his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. God he felt so out of shape.

Turning around he laughed and stopped where he was, “come on Hazza, hurry up!” he called out as he covered his mouth from laughing so hard. Taking one deep breath in Harry stood up and and calmly walked over to Louis. “We are going to be late for dinner and if we are late I’m blaming your slow ass who needs to be in better shape.” 

Raising his hand he huffed as he walked towards Louis, “I am in boots and a fitted suit you jerk,” he said as Louis just shrugged and tapped his shoe on the pavement as people passed them by on the street. “If we walk into a nice place and I am out of breath and have sweat on my temple I will beat you,” he said to Louis who just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Can we walk there like normal people?” 

“Eh,” he said as he stopped and leaned over and stole a kiss from Harry. “Just a bit further,” he told him as Louis laced his fingers with Harry’s and they headed around the corner and down the street. “Maggie told me to tell you hello, and my sister wants to know if she can do a fitting for her clothes,” he then continued, “you don't have to if you don't want to.”

“I want to. I will say it again when you ask so just relax,” Harry assured him as they walked and he stopped. “No.

“Yes, Harry said as he held the door open to the new sushi restaurant and Harry walked in. Feeling like he was in a swanky club in New York and not London. The floor was a rich wood as the walls were this white, with the ceiling black as to make the walls pop out more. There was no art on the walls, just the ornate chandeliers and weird art that seemed to hang from the ceiling to give the place more of a modern feel. The music was just loud enough where you wouldn’t have to hear the person next to you’s conversation but could talk freely to those you are having dinner with. Harry’s eyes moved to the staircase that went to the rooftop bar and all of him was anxious to get in and take a look around. His hand held tight with Louis as they walked up to the podium where the hostess stood. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a french twist and a tight black dress. 

“Reservations for Tomlinson,” he said as she looked up and then went back down to the computer and looked back up at Louis. “I have a reservation number,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile to look up the reservation number. 

“We have a reservation for next week for two under Tomlinson,” she said as her hands stopped typing and she looked up at Louis. “So you can come back then.” 

Looking at his phone he wanted to bash his head into the wall. His stomach dropped and he wanted to dig a hole with his hand and bury himself in there in the middle of the restaurant. How could he have been so stupid, he knew that he was half asleep when make this reservation on his overnight shift but it was a bloody Tuesday, how could this place be so busy they couldn’t find room for two decently smaller men - one in height and the other in weight. 

“It’s okay babe,” Harry said as he ran his hand up and down his arm. “We can go someplace else,” he whispered to him as the music was loud and a couple left the restaurant and another hostess called another party to be seated. Louis felt as if he got kicked in the stomach as he stood there looking like a fooking prick. 

“Is there any-” 

The blonde shook her head. “Nope.” 

“Can you check?” 

“Nope.” 

Louis pressed his lips together and looked at her, he knew that she could give a shit but she stood there and smiled, “if you don’t have a reservation I would suggest moving so I can help those you got the date right and not mess up a dinner date.” 

“Okay,” Harry said as he stepped between Louis and the hostess. “Come on,” he said as he lead Louis out of the restaurant and clenched his fist. He wanted to punch a wall or scream out in anger. As they stood out there Harry gave Louis his space as he paced around a few moments mumbling something to himself over and over again. Harry stood there, his hands in his coat pocket waiting for Louis to come back to him. “Lou…” Harry asked his voice trailing off as Louis stopped and looked at him. “It’s okay.” 

“No it’s not….” Louis said placing his hand on his hip. “I’m… fook it’s a Tuesday night… crap. Crap. Crap,” he said trying to stay calm. “Okay. Okay, we can do this,” he said as Harry walked up to him. He took his hand, lacing his fingers with Louis’s. 

“Hey, it’s okay Louis,” he told him. 

“No,” he said shaking his head. “Okay, what else would you like to eat?” 

“Let’s walk and see what catches our eyes,” he told him as he moved down the pavement. “So, what should we have? Thai? Mexican? Italian? Pub?” 

Louis wanted to be like Maggie and just say no, throw a temper tantrum and be over with this day. So far it had been fucked up and he looked like an idiot in front of Harry as he was trying to impress him. Harry squeezed his hand and looked over at him as Louis’s eyes were focused on the road ahead of him. “What sounds good to you?” 

“Anything you pick,” he said to him as they walked, Louis wasn’t sure where to go, so as they came up to an Italian restaurant they ducked in there to find out that they were full up and they didn’t have a list for walk in. The next restaurant they tried they were filled as well and the next four they went to told Louis the same thing and his confidence slowly began to dwindle until they had reached the end of the street and they were out of options. 

“Fook!” Louis hissed as Harry stood there on the street corner the only option left was a bloody pub. Letting out a sigh Louis saw his breath leave his mouth and drift off into the fall nighttime sky. His shoes moved over the pavement in small circles, his hands ran through his hair, messing up the styling gel he had used to take the wild beasts on his head. “I’m so sorry Harry. This is… this is such a shitty date,” he laughed for that was all he could do at this point if he didn’t want to cry. He stopped as he stood toe to toe with Harry whose cheeks were flushed from the wind and all the walking they had been doing. “I didn’t want to take you to just a pub.” 

Harry smiled, he grabbed Louis’s hand and kissed the back of his hand as he lead him down the street. “But, you know that I like ‘just a pub’.” 

“But”- 

Harry stopped, “this one,” he said as they headed on in and Louis wanted to roll his eyes and also was shocked that he had never seen this place before in his life. It was a Sherlock Holmes themed bar right around from Harry’s flat. “Smile,” he told Louis as he flashed a toothy smile and they walked in, upon walking into the bar Louis noticed the hard wood floor and the wall to wall bookcase on one of the walls, with the walls were a dark green with furniture that seemed to fit the books, as well as the TV show. Harry took Louis’s hand and pulled him into the back of the bar, away from the actual bar and to a  booth where they would be able to talk. Louis slid into one side and Harry in the other as he shrugged off his jacket and set it next to him in the booth. 

“It’s not what I planned,” Louis said looking around wanting to fanboy over the place but reminded himself that he was on his official date outside of his flat and needed to have some sort of cool to him since this date could be considered a shitty one. “But are you okay with this?” 

Harry nodded his head, “why don’t you take off your jacket and stay awhile Lou?” he joked as a waitress in a tweed skirt and black shirt walked up to their table. 

“Welcome in,” she said handing each of them a menu and smiled, “can I get you blokes anything to drink whilst you look over the menu?” 

“I think we will both have a pint on tap, whatever is good, you can surprise us. He will take a pub burger with cheese and bacon, toppings on the side and chips. I will have a turkey burger with cheese and the toppings on please and with chips,” Harry said as Louis sat there stunned that this man knew his order. “And can we get some chips before the food comes out as well with the beers?” 

“Ta,” she said taking the menu and heading over to the bar to put there order in and get the kitchen cooking on their food. 

“You amaze me,” Louis told Harry as he pulled his leather jacket off of him and he sat there in a grey wool jumper with a boat neckline. “I’m sorry, I wanted to have a nice dinner and I’m so rusty and honestly nervous.

Harry cocked his head, “why?” 

Rolling his eyes Louis shrugged. If he knew then maybe he wouldn’t be such a spaz. “Lord who knows,” he said with a laugh. “I think that since is this first date outside of my flat my nerves are up here,” he said holding his hand over his head. “And they got the better of me with the reservation thing.” 

Harry looked at him, “Well,” he said as he leaned forward at the table, “at least we can go next week and have a reservation and then complain about how rude that child was to us,” he said trying to make Louis feel better about what had happened. “How was work?I spent the whole time talking about my day you never told me about yours.” 

“It was slower which I didn’t mind. I had more meetings than anything today and then lunch with some mates and finished my shift off with seeing a few people but I left early today so I could shower and get ready,” he admitted. “How is the party planning for your mum and dad going?” 

Harry placed his hands on his temples and began to massage them, “I don’t know how people plan events and weddings, this even is like 40 people and my head hurts just thinking about it,” he told Louis as he laughed and Harry watched his body relax as they talked. “But they did ask about you and Magdalena.” 

Louis held his hand to his chest and leaned back, “moi?” He asked as the waitress came back with the pints and chips. Picking up his beer Harry about about to take a sip as Louis spoke. “Do they want to make sure that I’m not a serial killer?” 

Harry snorted as he set his beer down and shook his head, “no, you weird, weird man,” he said taking his napkin and wiping it under his nose. “I have been dating a man for a few weeks and they know that I’m not 18 and that it’s something serious.” 

The thought about parents views never crossed Louis’s mind. As he took a sip of his pint he realized that Harry had a point, yes they had been dating for about three weeks, yes they were no longer in Uni and wanted to the same things in life, yes to most it would seem as if they were moving so fast that it wasn’t smart (but it was for them). When Louis hit 28 his view on relationships changed from his Uni days, but he also figured that it would be him and Carly and Maggie just doing their own thing for the rest of their human lives. “It’s funny how the mindset of dating changed when you get older and have a kid,” Louis told him as he grabbed a chip with his hand. “Not in a bad way… god, I need to stop talking.” 

“I understand,” he said with a smile, “you don’t date to date, you date for something.” 

“Yes,” Louis said as he ate another chip so he would stop blabbering as his mobile vibrated. “Shit, sorry,” he said as he pulled it out of his back pocket and looked at the number. 

“Do you need to take that?” 

“No,” he said hitting ignore and putting it back into his pocket. Harry wasn’t convinced but he let it drop for Louis’s face looked tense and his entire body seemed to stiffen up after he looked at his mobile. “So, what else did you get done planning for your parents party?” He asked as Harry cleared his throat and took a sip of his beer. 

“We got dinner set up, as well as everyone who has RSVP’ed and got the decorations,” Harry explained to him. “I also had to figure out when I was leaving and had to coordinate with Gemma and everything,” he explained to Louis as the waitress came over and set their burgers in front of them. “Gemma is going to get the decorations all set up the day before and stay the whole weekend. It’s easier with a child.” 

“Aw, yeah, are you going to head up early?” 

Harry shook his head no, “I have work, and I hate missing a day of work unless I’m dying from a sickness,” he laughed as he grabbed his burger and took a bite of it. “I will just leave work Friday night and either drive back home or possibly fly,” he explained to Louis as he was trying to lead up to what he wanted to ask him. 

“That is a long drive,” Louis said to him as he looked down at his food but his stomach turned and he wanted to vomit as he felt his phone vibrate again. Pulling his mobile out he looked and shook his head at the number and ignored it again. 

Trying his best to ignore that he was distracted, Harry kept on talking, “if I did leave after school it’s like three hours and some change but if I flew it would be a little over an hour but then I would have to rent a car for the weekend and it’s - it’s still a work in progress,” he said as Louis’s looked at his mobile again. “Are you sure you don’t need to get the phone call?” 

“Nope,” Louis told him shaking his head. “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Harry told him not sure what else to say to him. “Was it Maggie?” 

Louis shook his head as he looked at his food his stomach turning as he wanted to eat but knew that he couldn’t. “No, it was something else and I don’t want to bore you on this date with it darling,” Louis explained to him as he popped another chip into his mouth. “What would be most effective?” 

“Well it depends,” Harry told him as he took another bite of his burger before setting it down, “I could fly but I was thinking that maybe I would have a companion then I would drive, stay the weekend and then come back Sunday night,” he explained to Louis as he looked up over the table at him. 

“And we aren’t talking about Liam right?” he questioned, Harry laughed and nodded. “Okay. Yes, okay. Yeah, when is it?” 

“Next weekend….” Harry trailed off. “I know that it’s last minute and everything but it would mean a lot to me, as well as my mum, dad and sister would be crushed if they weren’t able to meet you, and if you don’t want to bring Magdalena that is okay as well,” Harry said as he began to do damage control and just blabber on and on until Louis gave him an answer. “But you can bring her as well. It’s up to you,” he added as he tried to stop himself from talking by putting his hand over his mouth. 

Louis wanted to say no. Was it to early? Was it the right thing? Would Charlie be able to stay with Maggie? That one he knew would be a yes and if not that she could stay with Niall no problem. He nodded as he felt his phone vibrate again and his stomach took a turn. There was no eating for him at this point at dinner. Pushing the tears and doubts that presented themselves right up front Louis sat up, he smiled and looked at the man across from the table at him and nodded his head. “Yes,” he said, “I would love to go with you and have your mum and sister and dad tell me all the ridiculous stories and use them against you.” 

Harry pressed his lips together and shook his head, “actually, never mind, I’m going by myself.” 

“Nope. You can’t take it back,” laughed Louis as his mobile went off again. “Son of a bitch,” he said as he slid his phone out of his pocket and looked at the number. “Sorry this is Charlotte,” he said as he slipped out of the booth and headed towards the front of the bar. “Hey, what is wrong?” he asked her as he turned away so Harry didn’t see him in a panic. 

Harry leaned over and looked at Louis’s plate and saw that he hadn’t touched his food, not for that fact it wasn’t food, it was amazing but the weird phone call he kept getting made him seem more and more drawn inside than the last. Finishing up his food he watched as Louis paced around the front of the bar, his back was to him, no doubt to shield him from whatever was happening back at home, or the mysterious caller. He wasn’t sure who could have called Louis and get him in such a tizzy. It wasn’t work for he would have just told them no, and Charlie had just called him now. He tried to rack his brain as he fought the urge to jump up and wrap his arms around Louis and keep him safe. 

“How is the food?” The waitress asked as she walked over to the table and noticed that Louis was gone. “Another pint?” 

Harry shook his head, he had a feeling that they would be leaving soon from the way that Louis looked as he stood there in one spot. “I think the tab will be good,” he told her his voice distant as he focused on Louis. “And a takeaway box for his food and the rest of mine,” he told her as she made a note and headed back to get it all. Harry’s hand wrapped around the glass he finished it off as Louis slipped his mobile back into his pocket, he hand his hands through his hair and he watched as the man stood for a moment as to compose himself. Turning towards Harry, Louis slowly walked back towards the table, his face was red and blotchy, Harry could tell that he had been crying. “Everything okay?” He knew that everything wasn’t okay, but that was the only thing he could think of to ask him as he reached the table. 

“Yes and no. I feel like a complete dick but I need to cut this date, which has gone wrong, sort,” Louis told him as he took his seat. “I am so sorry.” 

Reaching across the table, Harry took Louis’s hand and gave it a squeeze, “do you want to talk about it?” 

“Not now,” he told him as the waitress came back with the check and takeaway boxes. “Thank you,” Louis said as he snagged the bill and kept it away from Harry. “Nope, even if this was a piss poor date I’m still paying,” he told him as he pulled out his chip and pin card. “Here you go,” he said handing the bill back to the waitress as she went to process the payment and he began to put his food in the container as did Harry. “I am so sorry Harold, I will explain it all but right now I don’t have the mental capacity to do so and I’m sorry.” 

Harry nodded, his chest felt as if someone had just kicked him. He wanted to help him but he wasn’t sure how. Both men gathered up there belongings in silence, as the waitress came back with the bill, Louis grabbed his card and put it back into his billfold before slipping his leather jacket on and stood up. He grabbed his container from the table and they both made their way to the front of the pub. Louis held the door open for Harry as he left they were back outside and Louis felt that he could breath again. His chest was still tight with fear and anxiety closing in on him. Both of the men stood on the pavement, neither of them sure what to say. 

“Do you need to go?” Harry asked him, not wanting to be rude, but was worried that if he kept him something bad might happen to Maggie. 

“Let’s get you home,” he said to Harry as he waved down at cabbie. As it pulled up to the side of the road, opening up the door Harry got into the cabbie and Louis followed. Harry was already telling the drive his addresses by the time Louis shut the door and sat across from him. “I am sorry,” Louis told Harry again for that was all he could say. He was sorry, he was gutted that he had to see him like this, watch him come unraveled by a text message. Having him get tangled up in the web of stress and drama that followed Louis no matter where he went as long as he had mobile service. He sat there and knew that this was his first official and more than not his last date with Harry.  

The cabbie rounded a corner, both men sitting there in silence, Louis’s eyes were fixed on his hands that laid in his lap as he couldn’t even look at Harry he felt like such a piece of human garbage. Setting his takeaway next to him, Harry leaned over and placed his hand on Louis’s knee, “whatever is going on you can talk to me. It might not be now and I understand that, but when the dust settles I am here and I want to be by your side for whenever you have things come up in life. Okay? We are a team now.” 

Louis knew this to be true, but he also didn’t want to get Harry involved until it was the last resort. He knew how this game was played and the more people that were out of it, and protected the better that he felt about it. He gave him a weak smile, “I know and I thank you. I’m just. I’m sorry and as shitty of a word that it, I am.” 

“Love, it’s okay,” Harry tried to assure him but he wasn’t sure he was doing that good of a job, or if the words were registering. But he was going to continue to say them for he was in love with this man and seeing him this distraught hurt him in his gut. “Please let me know when you get home and that everything is okay.” 

Louis nodded as they pulled up to his flat. “Wait please,” Louis told the driver as he handed him the fair for the trip so far. He nodded as both men got out of the cab and Louis walked him back up to his front door. “It will be okay - Maggie is okay,” he told him, “so don’t worry that something is wrong with her or anything.” 

“I know she said that she has a heart problem?” 

“Yes, but she takes meds and regulates it so it’s never an issue,” Louis informed him as they climbed the steps. “I keep track of it as well and we see a doctor every six months. So she is okay.” 

“Are you?” 

“Ask me tomorrow,” Louis told him not sounding to sure that there will be a tomorrow for him and Harry. With each step up the steps Harry felt as if he was losing Louis bit by bit. The man turned into a stone wall when it came to hard emotional matters, Harry had quickly seen it. It happened when they watched  _ Atonement  _ and while Harry was crying at the end Louis sat there, his body was stiff and his face was tense as he didn’t seem to be phased by anything in the film. As soon as they reached the landing Harry stopped, he turned, placing his hand on Louis’s shoulders he looked at him, his heart breaking as he seemed so distant but was trying so hard to be there with him. 

“Louis, no matter what is going on I am here for you,” he told him, “no matter what time or anything I am a phone call away.” 

Louis nodded, “thank you darling,” he told him as he cupped his face, “I am sorry about tonight and it wasn’t what I had planned for us.” 

Leaning over Harry kissed Louis, pressing his forehead against Louis’s, “it’s truly okay,” he told him yet again but he knew that Louis wasn’t going to believe him. “Be safe, and please let me know that you get home, and that everything is okay.” 

Louis nodded, he kissed Harry once more, incase it was his last kiss before he smiled and headed over to his flat. Louis stood there in the hallway and watched Harry head into his flat and once the door shut he turned and headed down the steps and back to the cabbie. “Fook,” Louis said to himself as he walked down the stairs, stopping he kicked the wall, “fook! Fook! Fook! Fook!” he yelled as he felt the tears in his eyes falling down his face. He had fucked everything up. He had just blown the best thing in his life next to Maggie and now he was sure that Harry would call him tomorrow once school was done and end it. That is what he would do. God, how was he so stupid. “You have done fooked up Tomlinson,” he told himself. 

As soon as the door closed behind Harry his legs gave out and he fell to the ground. His takeaway box crashing and the food going everywhere on the hardwood floor. His body shook as he began to cry, he wasn’t sure why but he did. His eyes stung from the tears as he sat there, his back pressed up against the door. 

“Harry!” Liam asked as he came out of his bedroom, his eyes grew wide and his stomach dropped as he saw his friend sitting there a mess. “What the fuck did that bastard do to you?” he yelled as he ran over to him and sat down, moving the chips away so he could sit down. “Did he hit you?” 

Harry shook his head, “something happened, something so bad that he couldn’t tell me Liam, and I couldn’t help him. I was helpless and he was in so much pain and I don't even know why I’m crying,” he said between breaths as he took the back of his hand and wiped the snot from his nose. “I don’t… I’m afraid… I think he thinks he messed up so bad from the date that I’m going to break up with him,” he told him as he tried to get his breathing back to normal. 

Liam scrunched his face confused on what was going on. “Can I have some context?” 

Harry took a deep breath in, “he thought he made reservations for a place but it was for next week, and we couldn’t find a nice place to eat so we ended up at a pub and he was upset about that,” he said as Liam began to understand what was going on. “I didn’t mind - you know that and I know that but Louis had this idea that he wanted and it fell apart.” 

“I know that that is like,” Liam admitted to him. 

Harry nodded, taking a deep breath in, “and he kept getting these calls on his mobile and he seemed to just close himself off and shut down. I don’t know who was calling him, or why but at one point his sister called him and that is when we left.” 

Liam nodded, he wasn’t sure what to say to his mate.

“But, I don’t hate the night, I don’t want to break up, but I don’t know what to do to make him know that. I love this man Liam, I love him and his daughter and I don’t want him to think he can’t tell me anything or come to me when shit goes down.” 

Liam’s eyes grew wide, “what was that Harry?” 

“I fucking love him okay!” Harry said Louis as the words left his mouth he felt a weight off his chest. “I want him to know that I’m here and I couldn’t today - or I felt that I couldn’t.” 

Setting his hand on Harry’s knee he was thrilled for his best friend. “So, you tell him,” he told him, “and I would plan something for him - something that would be so unexpected and show him that you love him,” he explained. “Go shower, I’ll make you a cuppa and we can talk about it.” 

Harry nodded, “I think I have an idea,” he said as he looked at the food on the floor, “Let me clean this up,” he said as he shook his head, “god I’m a mess, I’m so sorry Liam.” 

“Love does weird things to us H,” Liam told him as he stood up with a huff, extending his hand out he pulled Harry up to his feet, “I know this, and you are starting to realize it.” 

Harry shook his head, “Thanks for that,” he told him as he pulled Liam into a hug. “I’ll clean this up,” he said as he looked at his food. 

Liam shook his head, “go change, shower and I got this mate, you have helped me more times than not in life,” he reminded him as he slapped his arse and started to pick up the chips and burger. “Go Styles,” he said pointing to the bathroom. 

Harry shook his head as he walked over the hardwood floors and to his bedroom. Pushing his bedroom door open Harry let all the bad energy out. It was a weird date, and there was more than one weird date that he would be on. He cared about Louis, and he was going to make sure that he knew that - now he just needed to get the wheels in motion. 

 

***

_ iMessage  
_ _ 14 Nov 2016  
_ __ 06:40 

 

**Hey Charlotte, it’s Harry. I know that you are suppose to pick up Maggie from school, I was wondering if you would want to meet you back at Louis’s. I wanted to bring Maggie to go and see Louis at work and bring him some dinner and flowers…. I don’t know what happened last night but if I know Louis he is eating himself up about it and I don’t want him to over think and beat himself up about it - Harry**

**Sure thing (: - Charlie**

**Also, I know that Louis felt terrible about last night, but thank you for this and I know that he will be happy to see you tonight. My lips are sealed and if you want to just tell Maggs. Then, when you drop off Maggs can I get you to try on the clothes so I can make the alterations? - Charlie**

**Yes and yes. I can bring you some food as well, I will let you know where we stop and dinner's on me and please don’t say no - Harry**

**You are just as bad as my dick head brother - Charlie**

**I know that Lou felt bad about yesterday and know that we are all okay and that he will explain to you about what happened it’s just a lot to unpack on a person and that he cares a lot about you and that is why he is keeping you in the dark as weird as that seems - Charlie**

**Oddly makes sense, thank you for understanding (: - Harry**

**Have a good day at work Harry and I will see you later tonight - Charlie**

 

***

Maggie’s shoes clicked on the floors in the A&E as they walked up the desk. After school Harry had told her that he was going to need her help for a surprise for her father. That morning she had been fine at school, and he hadn’t asked her since they were in school and he was her teacher. Once the bell rang and everyone had left they packed up their things and headed to Tesco where they picked up some energy drinks for Louis, some chocolates and flowers. There next stop was at Nando’s where they ordered dinner for them (and Niall who Maggie was 1,000 percent sure was working according to James). Harry followed Maggie as he held the bags in his hands. She was excited to get to see her father and wanted to get there as soon as her legs could take her there. Rounding the corner she marched right up the desk and stood on her tiptoes and looked over the desk and smiled at the nurse who was sitting there. 

“Hi, I am here to see my dad,” Maggie said to her. “Louis Tomlinson. He is the RN.” 

The nurse smiled, “oh, you must be the famous Magdalena,” she said as her eyes moved and looked up at Harry. “And you must be the man that makes Louis walk around with a pep in his step,” she said as Harry felt his face flush red thinking that Louis had talked about him at work. “Come on back, we aren’t busy and he will be happy to see you both,” she told them pushing her chair away from the desk and showed them into the back. The florescent light of the hallway made everything look off. She pressed the handicapable button as the doors opened up she lead them in, Maggie walking behind her as Harry followed in step. As Maggie’s shoes clicked on the tile floor they walked past a few empty rooms and then they approached the nurses desk. There Louis sat, he had a stack of files next to him, his glasses on his face, and his eyes seemed to be tired as he yawned and tried to hide it. 

“Dad!” Maggie called out as Louis looked up and was dumbfounded as his daughter ran around the desk and jumped into his lap. “Mr. Harry and I decided that since you have to work a double today, and I would be asleep by the time you got home we would bring you dinner,” she explained to him as she set the bag of Nando's down. “We got nandos and chocolates, and there is a red bull in here as well,” Maggie told her father as she dug through the bag. 

“Can you sneak away for dinner?” Harry asked as he held up another bag. “We have a lot of food.” 

Louis nodded, “I’m going to food,” he announced shaking his head as he realized that he couldn’t speak. Shutting his laptop Louis slipped his mobile into his pocket and grabbed his cardigan and lead the way to the breakroom. “This way,” he said motioning down the hallway. “It’s nothing special but it’s better than the canteen,” he admitted to them, he turned his attention to his daughter, “How was school?” he asked as Maggie walked next to him. “Get any good or bad marks?” 

“I got better marks on my maths quiz so I am happy about that,” she told Louis as they rounded another corner. “I had lunch with Ashley and James, and then had school.” 

“So detailed,” laughed Harry as Louis snuck in a smile. Stopping midway down the hallway, Louis held the door open as Maggie and Harry walked in and Louis followed in. Like every work place it was your typical breakroom. There was a few small tables, a couch, a fridge, microwave and a kettle. The TV was on, but muted and on some crappy reality tv show. “Hey, darling why don’t you go and get some fizzy for us,” he said as he handed her some money. “Leave here and you just go to the left and it will be right down there.” 

Maggie grabbed the money, “Can I have a Coca Cola?” She asked her father as Louis nodded, “What do you want Mr. Harry?”  

“Coke light,” he said to her as she nodded and headed on out of the break room. The door shut and it was just Louis and Harry standing there. Harry took a deep breath and handed the flowers to Louis, “before you speak I want to say something,” he told him as his heart raced so fast he was afraid it was going to explode from his chest. While he never thought he would be confessing his feelings to Louis in a hospital break room, nothing about his relationship with Louis had been normal and he was oddly comfortable with that. 

“We both have a lot of baggage from life, we aren’t 18. We have seen the world, been hurt, been happy, experienced pain and sorrow but also great joy and glee. Last night was a night real life came into play. No, I don’t think that every date we have is going to be something from  _ The Bachelor _ or some rubbish like that. I want dates at pubs, Five Guys, or at your house or mine, sometimes we will get dressed up and sometimes not. The importance is that we have time together the surroundings are just there,” Harry told Louis as he watched the man who usually had such a stoic face seemed to come unraveled a bit. He took a step closer and took his hand.

“I care a lot about you,” he told Louis, “like a lot to the point that I couldn’t sleep last night out of worry for you. I know that some of the stuff we have we haven’t shared yet, and I understand that it’s heavy topics, but,” Harry paused as Louis cleared his throat as he saw his eyes begin to fill with tears. “I’m here for you 100 percent Louis. I’m here for Maggie 100 percent and I don’t want you to think that you done fucked up last night for you didn’t. Not at all,” he promised him. 

“No?” Louis asked his voice cracked as he prayed his daughter wouldn’t walk in at this moment. 

Harry shook his head, “Nope. I wanted you to know that from me, and not a text, or a phone call.” 

“So my daughter convinced you to get Nandos?” 

“I like Nandos, are you a Nandos hater?” he asked with a laugh as Louis took his left hand and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I care a lot about you Lou, and I’m not going to run okay. And when you are ready to talk to me about yesterday then we talk. Until then I will wait.” 

“God, you are amazing,” he said as he leaned forward and gently kissed Harry on his lips. His hands moving to his hips as he heard the door open, Louis jolted as he thought it was Maggie but it was just a bottle blonde Irishman who no doubt smelt Nandos and came running. “What the hell Niall?!” Louis hissed embarrassed that Niall would see him snogging his boyfriend. 

Niall’s eyes widened as he stood there, his eyes looking at the bags of food at the table as he spoke, “I smelt Nandos….but I guess it’s Nandos and some snogging,” he said as he winked at Louis who was about to give him the finger when Maggie came skipping in. “Who let you in here?” he asked as she smiled up at her uncle. “I was going to see if you wanted to get dinner but I guess I’ll eat the rubbish food in the canteen….” he said trailing off as he slowly turned around. 

Harry kissed Louis on his nose before he turned around, “I think we might have an extra chicken meal here if you want to join us,” Harry said as Niall whipped back around and smiled. “I’m Harry by the way,” he extended his hand and shook Niall’s as they all took a seat on the old table in the breaknroom. 

“Never let him go,” Niall told Louis as he shook his head at his mate and set Maggie’s dinner in front of her before sitting down and digging into his own. As they ate Niall asked Harry many questions and he got to know him better, while Maggie would add her opinion here and there Louis sat and ate his chicken and watched Harry. The man was full of surprises and he wasn’t sure how he got this lucky. With every smile, every dimple, every laugh Louis found himself just smiling like a child happy just being around this man. 

He knew that Harry had caught him looking a few times but he didn’t mind, he just smiled and ate his dinner as they sat there, his double seemed worth it now, being able to see Harry and his daughter for that short hour and half. As they all finished up with dinner, Niall thanked Harry and tried to pay him but he refused shaking his head. He smiled at Louis who just rolled his eyes at him as he left. Louis stood up, his tired feet, and throbbing back moved slowly as he cleaned up the table only to have his daughter pull the containers from his hand and clean up for him. 

“Thank you darling,” he told her as she just smiled and walked to the bin. “Thank you for this, I needed it more than you could have thought,” he told Harry as he handed Louis the bag with chocolates and red bull. 

Harry kissed him on the cheek, “Do you want us to bring the flowers home? Or do you want them?” 

Louis bit his bottom lip, “I will bring them home. I think looking at them will make me be able to get through the next several hours,” he admitted to them as Maggie ran over to him. Bending down Louis picked up his daughter as his back cracked all the way down. “Be good, get your coursework done, and when I get home I will come and give you a good night kiss.” 

“Good,” she told him as she placed her hands on her father’s face and squeezed his cheeks together. “I love you and thank you for all that you do for me.” 

Kissing her on the nose she wrinkled her face and laughed. Louis set her down and then looked over at Harry, “Drive safe, let me know when you lot get home and tell Charlie I will do my best to get out of here a half hour early and that she will be sleeping on the couch.” He knew that was going to be a battle but maybe if it came from Harry she would just fold. 

Nodding, Harry ran his hands through his hair. “Noted.” 

“Oh, and this,” Louis said as he kissed Harry gently on the lips as Maggie smiled and covered her eyes. “Thank you.” 

“Always,” Harry told him as they left the break room and headed back to where Louis’s desk area was. As they walked all the nurses smiled and said hello to Harry and Maggie and made comments to Louis as he just rolled his eyes and told them to stop talking or he was going to leave. He set his bag of goodies and flowers by his laptop before walking them over to the door to leave. “Enjoy the rest of your shift and be careful driving home.” 

“I will,” Louis said as he pressed the button and the doors opened and he watched Harry and his daughter walked out and head back to his car, he stood there and watched as Maggie turned around, her hair whipping around her face as she waved to her father and then reached up and took hold of Harry’s hand as they walked. Reaching, he placed his hand on his heart and he felt as if he was going to die from how he felt with Harry’s grace and seeing Maggie comfortable with another adult. His heart full of joy he turned on his heels, his worn down blue trainers made their way back to his post where he would continue to work on the paperwork while counting down the hours till he got to go home. 

“Patient from room 6 file,” Staci said as she handed Louis the file and he was back to reality with work. “Your daughter is adorable.”   
  
“So is the man that brought her,” Louis added as he flicked the folder and made his way back over to desk. 


	11. Session 3

“I made these for you,” Maggie said as she handed Doctor Lawson a container of cookies. He grabbed the container with his hands and looked at what kinds they were. “Well, I made them with the help of my dad and Mr. Harry,” she added as she made her way over to his couch and sat down, getting comfortable for her talk with him. “Before you ask, yes, Mr. Harry is my teacher and is now dating my dad and I am very happy about it,” she said talking about a million words a minute. Doctor Lawson wasn’t sure if she was excited or nervous. Or perhaps both at this time. Doctor Lawson’s shoes clicked on the hardwood floor as he walked over to his desk, setting the container of cookies down he popped open the lid and grabbed what looked to be a lemon one. He took a bite as Maggie waited patiently to see what he thought. 

“Tell your father and Mr. Harry these are excellent,” he told Maggie. “And, I must tell the head baker that these are fantastic,” he said as Maggie smiled and leaned back into the couch happy with the answer and glad that they turned out good. She knew that her father and Mr. Harry said they liked them, but they were bias. Finishing off the cookie Doctor Lawson grabbed Maggie’s file from his desk and his legal pad and made his way over to his chair. “You look very casual today,” he said as Maggie looked down at her leggings, t-shirt and jean shirt. 

Maggie shrugged as she looked down at her clothes, “I had a half day today, and when we got home we put on comfy clothes and were going to do a movie marathon with Chinese takeaway and snacks with my Aunt,” explained Maggie as she crossed her legs and sat up straight looking at Doctor Lawson. “And by we I mean, me, my dad and Mr. Harry.” 

“Does he come over a lot?” 

Maggie nodded her head.

“Does he sleep over?” 

Maggie made a face, her head pulled back and her nose wrinkled up as she shook her head no. “No.” 

Doctor Lawson made a note as he finished off his cookie, his eyes looking at the container wanting another one. “Would you be okay if he did?” 

Maggie shrugged. 

“Has anything changed since your father has started to date Mr. Harry?” 

Maggie shook her head no, “nope, at school I am just a student and he treats me like he did before they dated. I only sometimes eat lunch with him but now Ashley will join us. And then if he is going to bring me home we wait until all the kids are gone and then we can talk about my dad and everything.” 

“Seem’s like a good system,” he said as he made a few notes on his paper. Crossing his left leg over his right he leaned back into his chair, “Are there any positive things that have changed since this happened?” 

“Oh,” Maggie said her eyes wide as a smile spread across her face, “my dad is really happy now. He sings in the shower and he goofs off more,” she explained to him. “Like the other night we were making dinner and we were dancing around the flat to The Backstreet Boys and my dad was dancing around, and with me. We even learned the dance to one of their songs and did it with Aunt Charlie,” she laughed shaking her head. “Mr. Harry thought it was hilarious.” 

“That sounds like a fun night,” he commented setting his legal pad down. “Was he like this before your mum got sick?” 

She nodded, her hair bouncing up and down. “My mum would tell me about the stories how my dad would do silly things to make her laugh, and he was always silly and wild and mental,” she laughed. “It was nice to see it.” 

“Anything else?” 

“It’s also nice that Mr. Harry is around so Aunt Charlie can have a break from always watching me, and I think he might even let me get a dog he is so happy,” she explained as she pulled her legs up to her chest. “But the dog isn’t as important now.”

Doctor Lawson let out a laugh, “what about you?” 

“Me?” Maggie asked. 

“Yes, you,” he said looking at her as if she was crazy. 

“Umm,” she said as she pressed her lips together and thought about it. “I’m happy,” she told him as Doctor Lawson nodded his head knowing that this wasn’t the answer he was looking for. “It’s nice to have someone else. I enjoy that I can spend time with Mr. Harry and learn more about him and he gets to know more about me,” she explained. “I like the idea that my dad could end up with him, and he would be part of our family forever,” she went on to tell him. 

Doctor Lawson listened as Maggie spoke about Harry. While most children who came in talk to him they didn’t like the new person in their parents lives. Maggie was the opposite - she seemed to glow when she spoke about Harry. Her eyes widened with joy and the words and the way she spoke was all admiration and hopefulness. There was something so phenomenally different about her that he wasn’t sure if she was an 8 year old or an 80 year old trapped in an 8 year old's body. 

“So, yeah,” she told him. “It’s been a good few days and month. I’m happy.”  

Noticing that she didn’t say she had a good week Doctor Lawson began to pry, “how was the rest of the week for you?” Dr. Lawson asked Maggie as her face went from happy to worried. “That bad? What happened?” 

Maggie shook her head. But she heard Doctor Lawson clear his throat and she knew that she didn’t have an option. “Something with my Grandparents.” 

Doctor Lawson’s eyes grew wide as he set the paper down, “did they do anything to you at all?” 

Shaking her head no, Maggie took a deep breath in, “My dad was on a date with Mr. Harry, and my Aunt decided to that we were going to get some pizza at this place by us. So we walked there and had some really good pizza. It was nice. Just me and my Aunt. We talked about Mr. Harry, and she told me about school. We talked about going to visit where my mum and my grandparents are buried,” she told him as he made a mental note to get back to that subject with her. At this point he didn’t want to disrupt her train of thought as she was really starting to open up to him than she had ever before. “We then walked back after picking up ice cream at Tesco and when we were talking back I saw them - well I thought that I saw them but I wasn’t sure. Then my Aunt got all weird,” Maggie said as she tapped her knee and looked down at the couch. She didn’t want to talk about it, but she had to. That was the point of Doctor Lawson. 

“Take the time that you need,” he said to her as he leaned forward. 

Biting her bottom lip her eyes moved to a picture on the wall. “So we went into the flat, she locked the door and we headed up to the flat. We locked that door and she called my dad. She went up to his room so I’m not sure what they said but they said stuff. He then came home and looked upset.” 

“Where you?” 

“Upset? Yes. I don’t like them, and I don’t want them to come and mess things up for my dad and I. They are just - they are evil. Evil creatures that suck all the nice things out of the world,” she explained to him. “I’m afraid that they want to take me away. I won’t want that.” 

“That won’t happen.” 

Maggie just looked at him. Her entire body was tense as she sat on the couch, panic spread across her face and she turned to look out the window. Leaning forward Doctor Lawson cleared his throat, running his hands over his face. 

“Magdalena,” he said as she turned and looked at him, her eyes were glassed over with tears, her face red and blotchy as her bottom lip quivered. “You’re father is an amazing father, he loves you, her cares for you and there is no reason for you to ever leave him. Do not let the fear of your grandparents have a hold on your life. That will keep you in this state of sadness that you have gotten free from.” 

Maggie nodded, her hands shaking as she wiped the tear from her face. “I love my dad. I don’t want to… my mum was taken from me. My nan and grandpa were taken from me. I don’t want my dad or Mr. Harry or Aunt Charlie also gone,” her voice shook as she spoke. “I can’t have that.” She pressed her hand on her chest. “Sorry.” she said as she stood up and began to pace. “I don’t…. sorry...” 

Standing up Doctor Lawson walked over to Maggie and kneeled down she she was eye level with him. He knew about her heart condition and he needed to asses if it was that or a panic attack, or maybe a bit of both. “Take a deep breath in,” Doctor Lawson told Maggie as she stood still and took a deep breath in. “How is your heart?” 

“Fast,” she said quickly. 

“Take another deep breath in,” he said as he motioned with his hands taking a breath in and then exhaling. Maggie stood there, took a deep breath in and let it all out as she shook her hands to get the bad energy out. She jumped up and down a bit, her eyes closed as she did it. “Think of something happy.” 

“Like if I was making a patronus?” 

“Yes,” Doctor Lawson said, “just like that.” 

“It’s the time my dad and I went to the beach with my mum before she got sick. We swam, and had a picnic and had a lot of fun. My mum read to me as my dad played some footie with himself and then we joined him. We got ice cream and dinner out and I fell asleep in the back seat of the car and everything bad in the world went away that day,” Maggie explained as she stood still, her heart began to go back to normal. She opened her eyes and looked at Doctor Lawson, her face was drained but the color was back in her face. “I’m okay.” 

“I know,” he said to her with a smile. “You are a strong young woman and everyone has coping mechanisms to help with anxiety and stress,” he told her as she nodded, but she stood there and waited a few moments before she walked back over to the couch and took a seat. “Do you ever tell your dad how they make you feel? And not in the few words so not to make him upset? Or what you think he will be upset about?” 

“Yes.” 

Doctor Lawson raised his brow at Maggie. 

“No,” she shook her head. 

“I want you to,” he told her as he took off his glasses, holding them by the arm he leaned forward as Maggie looked at him, “I want you to have an honest conversation with your father, and tell him how you are worried and show him.” 

Maggie just looked at him. 

“I know that you can do it,” he told her. “You did it with me, and he should know this. Yes, he might be upset but it won’t be with you. He loves you more than anything so don’t keep him in the dark about your feelings. Don’t keep them bottled up.” 

She nodded. 

“Thank you.” 

She nodded again as she looked over at the clock. “Time is up.” 

Turning his head, he saw that she was correct. “I will see you next week Magdalena.” 

She slid off the couch and walked towards the door, stopping, she turned back to him. “Thank you. I promise to do my homework.”   
  
“I know you will,” he told her as she headed out of the office. Maggie’s Vans moved quickly over the carpet towards her father and Mr. Harry. She felt happy to see her father sitting there, his legs pulled up to his chest as he was on his mobile and Harry was next to him, his arm around his back as he was on his mobile as well. She was happy now. If she was going to think of what memory would make her patronus it would be the day at the beach and this one right now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading (: Also, thank you all for the lovely comments on the story. I know this chapter is short but the next few won't be. Thank you again for sticking with me for the long stretch of not posting due to life. Hope that you all enjoyed this chapter as well. 
> 
> I'm always will to chat. Don't be shy to find me on Twitter (@violet_janou) or email (violetjanou@yahoo.com)
> 
> XO  
> Vi


	12. I Think I Love You

Charlotte set her camera back into her bag and double checked that she had all she needed for this shoot with Harry. The last thing she wanted was to be out shooting him in the clothes she made and not have what she needed and not get the shot she wanted. Shaking her head, she realized she was turning into ‘one of those’ hipster people. “Guess it was a matter of time,” she told herself zipping up her camera bag and went over to check she had all the clothes that fit Harry like a glove. The man could quit teaching and model for three years and be set for life with the body type he had. 

“So,” a deep voice asked as a tall skinny man in black skinny jeans and a flannel shirt asked as he stood in the doorway. “who are you using as a model since your brother has always said no, and I have work, not that I wouldn’t have,” Dylan said asked her as he took a sip from his water bottle. 

She arched her brow and looked at Dylan, “okay mister ‘I wanna be a cool rockstar’ look,” she laughed as she moved each article of clothing out of the garment bag and counted it for the hundredth time like a crazy person she was. 

“Rude,” he said leaning up against the doorframe. “But semi true,” he joked as Charlotte shook her head, her earrings making noise as they hit the side of her face. “Are you going to tell me or are you going to be a tit and not?” he asked as there was a knock on the door. “Or I can just go and see!” he yelled taking off to her front door as she dropped the clothes in her hand and took off after him. “Now I can see what poor helpless first year you got to help you,” he said opening the door and stopping as he saw Harry. “Or not.” 

“Cheers,” Harry said with a smile as he stood outside his jacket buttoned up to his chin. “Is Charlotte here?” 

“Hey,” she said a bit out of breath as she walked past Dylan and gave Harry a hug. “Thanks again for doing this and so early on a Saturday morning none the less,” she told him as she showed him into her flat. “Sorry it’s Uni housing,” she said as Harry shrugged. 

“I have lived in worse, no worries,” he laughed as she headed back to her room. “Need help?” 

“Nope,” she called out as she put the clothes back into the garment bag. “Dylan, this is Harry my brother’s boyfriend. Harry this is Dylan my friend,” she called out from her bedroom. 

Extending his hand Harry shook Dylan’s. “Nice to meet you,” Harry said as Dylan nodded. “You go to Uni with Charlotte?” 

“Ta,” Dylan said. “I’m going for business and music,” he explained to him. 

“Hence his want to be Fall Out Boy look,” Charlie joked as she walked into the main living area with her two camera bags, purse, and garment bag. Before she could say anything Harry grabbed the garment bag out of her hands and just gave her his teacher look, she listened. “You know I don’t mean it,” she told him as Dylan rolled his eyes and took a sip of his water.  “Okay, let's go and leave before Marci gets back from the gym and tries to convert you from being gay to straight,” Charlie told him as all three headed out of the flat.

“In your bag?” Dylan asked as he reached into Charlie’s camera bag and snagged her flat key to lock the door. “Have fun at the shoot as I die slowly at work.” 

“Oi, you are getting paid you weirdo,” she told him as she nudged him with her hip. “Get to work and don’t be late. I will text you later.” 

“We still good for dinner Sunday?” 

“Yeah, I’m having dinner tonight with Lou,” she told him as Harry stood there and watched them interact and part of him wanted to ask Charlie who he was and what they were. But he then wanted to see if Louis knew about him and ask him about this strange man. “I will talk with my brother for sure, I’m not sure if he works or not?” 

Charlie turned to Harry who was in another world as they walked down the hallway to the lift to head down the ground floor. “Oh, me,” he said shaking his head as he looked up from his mobile. “Sorry, family - sister stuff. Yes, he does. It’s a short four hour shift so Magdalena and myself are going to get dinner and then do something that she wants to do,” he explained to Charlie as he pressed the down button and they waited for the lift. 

“Brilliant,” Dylan said as Charlie gave him a look to calm down. “So,” he said looking over at Harry as the door opened and they walked into the lift. “What do you do for a living Harry?” 

“Teacher,” he told him as Dylan held back a laugh. “No joke, what did you think I did?” 

“Model, actor, musician, artist,” he said to him as they headed down the four floors. “You just give that vibe, and not in a trippy hippy dippy way either,” he clarified as Charlie moaned and covered her face with her hands from embarrassment. “Ignore her, teacher doesn’t seem to go with this,” he said moving his hand up and down in front of Harry. 

Shaking his head Harry wrapped his arm around Charlie and gave her a side hug. “I am a teacher, I tried the whole ‘let's be in a band’ phase when I was a teen and I was rubbish at everything but triangle so I gave up on that dream,” he laughed as the lift beeped and the doors opened on the ground floor. “I like photography but on my iPhone, but thank you for that compliment.”

Dylan turned to Charlie and opened his arms as he scrunched his nose and walked backwards towards his car. “See, no need to get embarrassed,” he laughed as Charlie stuck up her middle finger and following Harry to his car.  

“Sorry,” she said shaking her head. “Also, Dylan is a friend.” 

“Okay.” 

“Who we both have mutual feelings for, and we are going to see where it goes,” she explained to him. “I was going to tell Lou tonight at dinner, so he could lecture, facebook stalk and all the things a big, overprotective brother will do and should do,” she explained adjusting her camera bag on her shoulder. “We have been mates for all of Uni and yeah. New topic,” she said nervous laughing as they walked towards Harry’s car. 

“Okay,” Harry said again as Charlie looked at him, smiling he shook his head, “I won’t tell Louis, that is your thing to tell him,” he explained as he opened the boot of the car. “I can drop you off at Lou’s after this,” he told her as well as he laid the garment bag down over the camera bags. “So, where do you want to go?” He asked shutting the boot and looking at Charlie. 

“I know a place, I’ll put it into the GPS,” she told him as they got into Harry’s car. “You okay with a drive? I have a few other places that I was thinking that are closer,” she told him trailing off as she shut the car door and pulled out her mobile and looked over at Harry who had his head cocked and just looked at her. “Okay, we can go to the place I want,” she said putting in the address as Harry started the car. 

“Go straight,” the GPS said, Harry put the car into drive and pulled away from the side of the road and headed on his way. 

As Harry drove, Charlotte began to explain to him her idea for the shoot, “so we have to do decades, it’s stupid and annoying but alas I was lucky and got the 70’s so flower power, and that fun stuff,” she said pushing her hair behind her ears as she turned, her back leaning against the car door and her legs pulled up on the seat. “Thanks again for all of this,” she said to Harry as he turned his head and smiled at Charlie, “I can see why Lou loves you,” she explained to him as she leaned her head against the window. 

Harry said nothing, he just kept on driving not sure how to reply to that. He had yet to say those words to Louis and he wasn’t sure he wanted it to slip and let Charlie know before Louis did about how he felt. Charlie opened her eyes and watched Harry’s face, “So, I was thinking we can start with the trousers and vest and shirt, and then move onto  the formal look and then the fun look,” she explained to Harry as he nodded his head. “So, we never had a chance to talk talk,” she went on to say to him as Harry’s brows rose as she talked to him. “I know you are a good guy, so none of that stuff, if you weren’t Louis wouldn’t be serious with you like he is now.” 

Harry nodded. 

“So, what about my brother makes you smile?” 

“His wit,” Harry laughed as he rested his elbow on the car door and rested his head in his hand. He didn’t even need to think about it. Oddly enough about anything that Louis did made Harry smile. “God, he just has a way of being so funny, and sarcastic, even with Maggie. To watch those two banter is like watching a comedy sketch.” 

Charlie sat there and watched as Harry’s as he spoke about her brother and niece, he would randomly smile and laugh as he thought about something that Louis said or did. He spoke about Louis with such love and admiration, and he saw the kindness that was in her brother’s heart. She sat there in the car as Harry talked about a stupid story that happened at a coffee shop, and then he explained to her one night when Maggie and he tried to make dinner for Louis and ended up using salt and not sugar in the cookies and going to get ice cream. He talked about how Louis has surprised him at work with lunch, or he has sent flowers, or cookies. Charlie knew her brother, she had seen him love Carly in a way that was unlike any kind of love she had seen, she never knew that one person was able to love that way again. But somehow he did it. 

As Harry pulled up where Charlotte wanted to shoot he put his car into park and looked at her, “are you sure you aren’t going to kill me?” he asked her as she laughed, shaking her head she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened up the car door. “She is going to kill me,” he told himself as he got out of the car and headed to the boot. 

“You can change here, I am going to get the camera set up and then when you are done let me know and we can get these taken,” she told him grabbing her equipment bags and making her way towards the worn down brick building. “Hurry up there Harold, we don’t have all day!” she called out as her boots walked over the gravel and Harry stood there deciding to get back into his car and change. 

Once he was out of his normal clothes he climbed out of his car and tucked in his shirt, his boots walking over the gravel he made his way to where Charlotte was. The 70’s style bell bottoms felt weird but he liked them. His white shirt was loose and flowy as it blew in the wind. His vest covered his no doubt nipples that could be seen from the wind. Running his hands through his hair he stood there. Charlie turned around and smiled, “you are perfect oh Harry, I’m going to ace this,” she said as she ushered Harry where she wanted him to stand. “Okay, not just stand there. As weird as that is and look over that way as if you are longing after my brother from  afar,” she laughed walking back over to her camera and making sure he was where she wanted it to be. “I mean, that shouldn’t be hard since both of you took forever and a year to realize that what your pants were saying was true,” she laughed as Harry turned his head and she snapped a photo. 

“Oy!” 

“You can ‘oy’ all you want but it’s bloody true,” she joked as she pointed and he turned his head. “But I’m happy, my brother is happier than I have seen him in many years and the same with Maggie,” she explained as she snapped a few photos and then looked up at Harry, “look at me now,” she said as Harry turned his head, he put his hands in his trouser pockets and looked at the camera with almost a Flynn Rider smoulder at the camera. Laughing, she snapped a few photos, pulling her camera off her tripod and adjusted the lense and took a few closer photos of Harry’s face and vest. “So, if Louis had a kid but you didn’t know the kid, like he or she wasn’t in your class would you still have fallen for him?” 

Harry turned his head, cocked a bit and a small smile crept on the side of his mouth, “Yes. Kid or not, Louis is the man who I get butterflies in my stomach when I see him. I hate when I’m not around him, but when I am it’s hard to breathe. His heart is bigger than anyone's and he just - he has this way of making me remember what it’s like to be happy as well,” he explained to Charlie as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back and Maggie shot a few photos on him from the side. He let his arms down and let the wind blow the his shirt and the fringe from his vest. “Does Dylan make me smile when you shouldn’t be?” Harry asked as Charlotte stopped and stood there, her jacket blowing in the wind as she put her camera around her neck and ran her hands through her hair to pull it up into a bun, or a nub since her hair was so short. 

“We aren’t talking about me,” she reminded him as she knelt down and snapped a few more photos. “But, yes. Yes he does,” she added as she set her camera down. “Can you go and sit down against the brick wall,” she said as her and Harry walked over to the building. Harry stook a seat, sitting with his legs like a pretzel. Walking backwards she stopped and took a photo and then she sat down so she was looking right at Harry at his level and snapped a few more photos. “Lou told me about your trip to Cheshire coming up,” she said as Harry pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapped his arms around them and rested his head between his knees.  

“It’s just for my parents anniversary party,” he told her as his hair fell to the side of his face as the wind blew. “I told them that Maggie wasn’t going to be there this time around, but they would be able to meet her soon enough,” he explained to Charlotte. “They understood - and they are thrilled to meet Lou, as is my sister.” 

Charlie stood up and walked towards Harry, “yeah, I know that he was talking to me about it and I’m glad that he is going. I’m glad that he is taking the risk and that he is truly going to enjoy himself and get away for a few days. Plus,” she said as she stood on her tiptoes and took a photo of Harry from the top. “Maggie gets to spend the weekend with James and then Sunday with me, so she is beyond thrilled about that.” Harry laughed and looked up at the camera as Charlotte snapped a photo. “So, what made you want to be a teacher?” 

“My mum, she is a teacher, my dad is a banker. Boring jobs but they were both home at night to spend time with me and my sister so it was worth it,” Harry told Charlie as she extended her hand and pulled him up off the ground. “So, I went to become a teacher and my sister went on to actually go to school to be a barrister,” he explained as they walked. “So, where to next?” 

“I will pack up this stuff,” she said as she held up her hand with her tripod, “and then we can head to the second location, and you can change into the long coat, the black top and hat.” 

Harry nodded unlocking the car and popping the boot, “you can just set it in the back, so you don’t have to set it up again,” he told her as he opened up the car door. “So, what made you get into fashion?” 

Charlotte set the tripod in the back seat, “my dad grew up with five sisters, his mum died when he was 10 and he learned how to sew. So I grew up helping him, and watching him sew halloween costumes, clothes, costumes for plays at school,” she explained to Harry. “So, I just loved it, making something out of just nothing and turning it into something so beautiful for the world to see.” 

Walking around the car, Harry cocked his head and smiled at Charlie, “you are amazing at it Charlie, and I’m sorry but I’m keeping these clothes,” he said looking down at the clothes and winking at Charlotte. 

Laughing she opened the passenger side door and getting into the car. “Thank you Harry,” she told him as he started the car. “Onward,” she said. 

“Yes, Ms. Daisy,” laughed Harry putting the car into gear and headed to the next location. Charlie unrolled her window and stuck her hand out of the window and laughed turning up the music and driving to this random location that Charlie pointed out with different directions by pointing her finger out the window and Harry followed. 

 

***

 

The front door opened and Louis walked in as Charlie sat on the couch, her hands holding a cup as she nursed her cuppa and was texting a bit with Dylan who was out of work and had made his way back to his housing and was doing course work. “Drop off went good?” Charlie asked Louis as he walked into the flat and dropped his keys into the bowls and toed off his Vans. Nodding his head he hung up his leather jacket and headed towards the couch and flopped on the couch. “Thanks for dinner.” 

“Thanks for cleaning up,” he said to her, taking his glasses off Louis ran his hands over his face. “Why has today been so long?” he asked tilting his head back and letting out a sigh. “From the party this morning, to grocery shopping, cleaning the flat, and then dinner and now she is at Ashley’s for a sleepover,” he said as his body relaxed. “It’s weird, she is growing up so fast and our weekends together are slowly fading bit by bit.” 

Charlie rolled her eyes at her brother as she took a sip of her tea. Her body screamed it was so tired but she had to stay up so not to mess up her sleep schedule. 

“How did the photo shoot go?” he asked her as he opened up his eye and looked at Charlie who sat there on the couch and just looked at her brother as she took another sip of her tea and looked back down at her mobile before wanting to get up. “I mean, take all the time you need.” 

“Chill the fuck out,” she told her brother setting the mug down and getting up from the couch as she walked over to her camera bag to show Louis how sexy Harry looked. “I do want to talk to you about something,” she told him as she heard her brother sit up on the couch, she could already tell what he looked like without turning around. “I’m not pregnant so you can stop prepping the father monologue you were about to give me,” she laughed as she stood up and headed towards the couch. “I’m,” she stopped and shook her head, “I’m seeing a guy. My friend Dylan. We have been on a few dates and it’s been good and we are going to make it official via us knowing and telling those around us,” she told Louis as she sat down next to him. “I already said that he was going to have to meet you, and Maggie and come to dinner and it was a package deal. But his mum died when he was 7 and his dad is off in America with some women he met and married when Dyl was 18.” 

Sitting down she looked at her brother and Louis smiled, he wrapped his arm around his sister and kissed her forehead. “I love you Charlie, and if he makes you happy that I am happy for you,” he said to her. “But I do want to meet him, and I look forward to getting to know him like you do.” 

Letting out a sigh of relief Charlie felt as if she could breathe again with her brothers word. “Okay, now that I am done with that,” she said with a smile as she turned her camera on and handed it over to her brother, “here are the photos of your sexy boo thang,” she joked with Louis as he began to scroll through them and Charlie watched his face, it came undone as a child looking at a puppy. With every click the more Louis seemed to smile, or gasp in aw at how amazing Harry looked. “He is an amazing Lou, I see why you love him.” 

“I do,” he said the words leaving his lips without a flinch or a second thought. “He got to keep these clothes right?” He asked as his eyes looked up from the screen and he smiled at Charlie who nodded and then stopped as she realized why her brother wanted him to keep the clothes. 

“Ew, yes you nasty man,” she said grabbing her camera from him and moving away from her brother. “I have a terrible image in my head and I want it gone but it will never be able to be erased.” 

Louis laughed, his head tilted back as Charlie punched him in the arm. “It’s what older brothers do,” he said looking at his sister. “So, we good with Tomlinson dinner Monday night?” he asked Charlie as she set the camera on the coffee table and looked at her brother. “Oh, are you and Dylan going out?” 

“Yes,” she said to Louis sitting up strait. “We are going to dinner and then going to the cinema, they are showing  _ Clue _ and then coffee with some friends after,” she told her brother pulling her legs up to her chest. “So, yes Monday night dinner is fantastic,” explained Charlotte as Louis mobile went off and he ignored it. “Is it them again?” 

He nodded as he ignored his mobile as it buzzed and lit up. 

“What are you going to do?” 

Louis shrugged. He had no idea. He was just as confused and scared as his daughter was when it came to these two humans. “I don’t have money to fight them. I don’t want them in Magdalena’s life. She is my daughter. Carly’s daughter. They aren’t - I can’t let them in,” he said as he placed his hand on the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath in. “I don’t want them to think that they can control her life or mine.” 

Leaning over Charlie looked at her brother, “they won’t, but you need to talk to Maggs about this. She is scared Lou,” she told her brother as Louis sat there and watched his sister as she spoke to him. He was worried, and was finally having to face the fact as much as he wanted to just pray all this went away. “And as much as she puts on a brave face she is just as scared as you are. Talk,” she told him. “I know that is something you can do, but you keep it inside. Yes, it hurts, and yes you want to shield your daughter from the world but, the world is real,” she told him as she pointed to the window, “it’s out there,” she turned and looked at his phone as it rang again. “It’s right there.” 

Louis sat there and looked at his sister. He knew that she was right, he wasn’t sure what he was trying to protect Maggie from - she knew the world. She had seen it. When Carly died. When her grandparents died. When they moved and lived in and out of random places with showers and beds. She had seen the sick, the needy, the dying and she still had love, grace and compassion in her heart. Pulling his legs under him his heart broke thinking about his daughter in pain.

“She needs you, she needs you to be here,” Charlotte said as she shoved her brother in the arm and his body jerked to the side. “I love you, and I say this because of that.” 

“I know,” he said moaning running his hands over his face. “Fook!” he hissed. “Being an adult blows, being a father is even harder,” he said pushing his fringe off his forehead. “I will talk to her tomorrow,” he promised his sister. “I love her and I want the world for her.” 

Charlie laughed, “I know. That’s why you need to talk to her. Let her in. You are hurting, so is she. Work it out as a family. It’s the only way that anything will ever get better.” 

“How are you so wise?” 

“I got it from mum,” she smiled widely like a loser as Louis kicked her. “Oy, so rude,” she said as she kicked him back. “So, more details about this trip to Cheshire,” she said with an arched brow and a smirk on her face. “You packing an overnight bag?” 

“Fook off,” he said shaking his head. “I’m going with him to his parents anniversary party. Nothing more, nothing less.” Rolling her eyes Charlie didn’t take anything her brother said as fact but as all crap. “What? Char, we aren’t 16 years old, and it’s not like I have to impress them. I’m 35 years old, have grey hair,” he said pointing to the grey around his temples, “and have a daughter. Getting there approval seems mute at this point, no?” Charlotte just looked at her brother as she pulled her hair out of the bun and ran her hands through it. “Can you stop with your looks, jesus,” he hissed. 

“I don’t care if you are 50, meeting someone parents is a big deal in this setting. Okay. Harry is going ‘hey, I want you to know the people I care about, and I want them to know you’ that is a big deal Lou. I know Carly felt that way when she met mum and dad.” 

Louis sat there and just looked at Charlie. She widened her eyes and stared back at her brother. 

“Don’t over think it either. Just go, be yourself and tell the man that you love him.” 

“Jesus, you are on a roll,” he laughed shaking his head. Charlie shrugged her arms and finished off her tea. “Did he say anything?” 

“No, I am not your messenger bird,” she said, “and we aren’t 16 as you pointed out.” 

Louis held up his middle finger and glared at his sister, “Is it okay to be nervous?” 

“Yes,” she told him pulling her legs up to her chest. “It’s good to be nervous, it keeps you on your game. Harry cares about you, cares about Maggie. This is just a holiday, you get to see where Harry came from, and what makes him him. Take lots of photos and I want to hear all the juicy stories of him,” she said laughing. “I’m glad that you are going.” 

“I wasn’t going to - but I knew that I needed to, and I wanted to…” he stopped, “I just, he said I could bring Maggie and I didn’t want to. Not yet.” 

Charlie nodded. 

“I want her to meet them, and I know that what Harry and I have is….” 

Charlie smiled, as she waited for Louis to finish his sentence. 

“Go to hell,” he said shaking his head as he pushed himself up off the couch and headed to the kitchen to make himself a cuppa, he stopped and leaned against the counter and took a deep breath in, “what we have I want for, forever okay.” 

Charlie punched the air a few times and kicked her feet as she was so glad that Louis was finally admitting that he had feelings and she had waited for several years, hell her entire life to see her brother this happy. “Have you told him?” 

“No,” he said turning around and looked at Charlie, “When did you go to school to be a shrink?” he asked using his sarcasm as a way to deflect. “I will. I am. I need it to be right as silly, and cliche as that sounds.” 

“It’s cute,” she told him. “Do you have any ice cream?” she asked him. “I’m craving some ice cream, and I already saw that you didn’t have anything for me to bake while you were out so I need ice cream.” 

Opening up the freezer, Louis grabbed the carton and two spoons. Leaving the kettle he walked back over to the couch and handed a spoon to his sister, and the carton. Sitting down on the couch he grabbed the blanket from the basket next to him and covered his lap and turned the telly on. “What do you want to watch?” 

“ _ Some Like it Hot _ ,” Charlie told her brother as she set the ice cream down on the couch as she got up and walked over to put the DVD iin. “Can I crash on the couch? Or in Maggie’s bed? Marci has her boyfriend over and there is a party going on and I don’t want to be there,” she admitted to Louis. “Plus, you are here alone in this flat and could use the company,” she said as she pushed the DVD into the player, getting up off the floor she walked back over to the couch and took her seat. “And you love me, and want more time with your little sister,” she said as Louis rolled his eyes and pressed play on the film. Removing the top of the ice cream Charlotte stuck her spoon in and handed it over to Louis as he dug his spoon in. “Thanks Lou.” 

“I love ya Char,’ he said turning his head her way, “I’m glad that you found someone who makes you smile,” he told her. “And I will facebook stalk, instagram stalk and add him to the chat snap,” he laughed as Charlie shoved a spoon of ice cream into her mouth and flicked her brother off before turning her attention back to the film. 

 

***

 

“So, how was it being a model?” Gemma asked as she handed her brother a cup of coffee as they sat outside in the small patio in their ‘backyard’. “You give them the ‘smolder’ or some dumb shit like that?” she asked as Harry just shook his head. “What?” 

“Nothing,” he said his hands cold but the coffee cup helped warm them up. “It was fun, I got to spend some time with Charlotte which was nice,” he explained to Gemma as she pushed her hair behind her ear as she held her cup up to her lips. “I love him Gem. I love him and I didn’t ever think I would feel this way ever again,” he admitted to her as his voice cracked. “You know I haven’t ever shown him my arms. I haven’t told him anything and he has opened his entire heart up to me.” 

 

Gemma reached over, placing her hand on her brother’s knee she gave it a squeeze, “Hey, don’t do this. You will, you just needed to feel this joy again in your life. Don’t shut the part out - as fucked up as that was, it made you the man you are now Harry, and that is the man Louis I know loves and obviously cares about if he is coming to meet mum and dad and me.” 

Harry snorted and shook his head. 

“I’m serious,” Gemma said to him  with her serious face. “You excited for him to meet everyone?” 

Harry nodded. 

“Don’t act so enthusiastic then,” she laughed as Harry rolled his eyes and pushed his hair to the side. “It will be fun,” she said and then smiled as the sliding glass door opened and Seb walked out to join them. “Are you booking a room? Spending the night and all that fun stuff?” she asked as Seb laughed and took a seat down next to his wife as Harry huffed and his face fell flat as he looked at his sister. “What?” 

“Stop.” 

Gemma lifted her hands in the air, “I’m just saying…..” 

“Stop.”

Gemma turned and looked at her husband, “talk some sense into my stupid baby brother,” Gemma said as Harry rolled his eyes as Seb took a seat next to Gemma. “Seb.” 

Clearing his throat, Seb wrapped his arm around Gemma and looked at Harry, “hey, you love him. So you have sex. Or you don’t. You should have this weekend away from London, and just the two of you. I know you care about his daughter, and him but you need time for the two of you. You two can talk. Maybe about things that you don’t think you can talk about in London,” he suggested as Harry pressed his lips together and looked at his brother in law. “You wouldn’t invite him if you didn’t care about this man.” 

“He is smart, listen to him,” added Gemma as Harry just sat there. 

“Both of you suck,” Harry said setting his mug down in his lap. “If it’s not Liam, it’s you,” he shook his head, taking a deep breath in, he closed his eyes and let it all sink in. “I know, I just. Bleh,” he moaned as Gemma shook her head. “So, what is the plan for the party?” Harry asked changing the subject quickly as he pulled the blanket up to his chin to keep warm on the chill fall evening. 

“We are going to leave here Friday morning, and then set up all day Friday, and prep the food that I am going to make and then get the kitchen all set up for the food when it comes around 1ish,” she told him as she pulled out her mobile and checked the times for everything. “People will start to come around 3, and then knowing mum and dad the people they are just friends with will leave around 8 and then there close friends will stay till around 10 or 11,” she told him. “We can be on clean up crew and then Sunday you and Louis will go and walk around the town and Seb and I will be able to get the rest of the house cleaned,” she told her brother as Harry cocked his head at her. “Nope, no arguments. Mum and Dad are going to want to get to know him better, you can show him off to the town, maybe snog a bit.” 

“Stop,” Harry said looking at Gemma as she laughed, “I don’t want you to talk about me and Louis snogging it’s weird and you know it’s weird,” he shuttered. “The kids have a half day, but I have to be there all day. I think that Lou and I are going to leave around 6ish. But I don’t want to get to the house to late, but knowing mum and dad they will want us to come over, have a late night dinner, and talk.” 

“So, yes to a room now?” 

Harry dropped his head, “I feel bad not staying with mum and dad.”  

“Book,” Seb said. “You’re mum and dad will understand and it might help Louis with this all. I know it helped me when I first went out there with Gem.” 

Harry nodded as he looked up at the sky. He knew that Louis was nervous about this, even if he didn’t tell him. He was thrilled but worried, he was worried about leaving Maggie for other reasons that he hasn’t come out to talk with him about. He knew the trepidation he had, he would have the same if he was in his shoes. Closing his eyes he saw Louis’s face and he wanted to just kiss him, hug him and show him his world that he grew up in. He looked forward to this weekend where the people he loved got to meet the man that had taken his heart and he was okay with it. For the first time in his life he was happy, and knew that this was what love is like. 

“I will do that when I get home,” he said. “I will do the bed and breakfast place that is in town, it’s a short drive to the house.” 

“Good choice,” Gemma told him as she finished off her cuppa. “I will tell mum when I talk to her, and I’m sure they will want you to come over that night no matter what time you get in.” 

  
Nodding, Harry picking up his cup and took a sip of his coffee. He looked forward to friday, the drive with Louis, the entire weekend, and the endless amount of snogging that he knew would occur in the hotel room. He just needed to stay focused, be able to teach his class as well as sit through an entire staff meeting that would be last four hours. He could do this. At least he hoped that he could do it. 


	13. Hollow Talk

 

> **_To:_ ** _ltomlinson@gmail.com  
>  _ **_From_ ** _:_ _gilberte@gmail.com  
>  _ **_Subject:_ ** _Magdalena_
> 
>  
> 
> _Mr. Tomlinson,_
> 
> _We have been trying to get in touch with you about Magdalena. We would like to see OUR granddaughter. You are back in the country after running away after our daughter died. Mr. Gilbert and I would like to do this civil and outside the court system, but if you don’t cooperate with us we have no other choice but to take Magdalena since you are an unfit father to care for her. You will never win in a court, so keep that in the back of your mind as you sit there reading this. If you truly want the best for Carly’s daughter, you will give her to us so we can raise her the proper way and make sure that she doesn’t end up like you. Corrupted by the sins that you commit, and that she does something with her life and doesn’t give us and is just a nurse at the A &E in London. _
> 
> _If you don’t reply within the next 48 hours we will take that as a threat and call our lawyer and draw up the papers. The last thing you want is to be homeless due to paying for lawyers and court dates that will hinder your work and social life of sin._
> 
>   
>  _Emily Gilbert._


	14. Cheshire Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for you patience with me when it came to this chapter. I have been crazy with work and personal stuff going on. I truly hope that you enjoy this chapter, and I will be getting the next one out as soon as possible. I hope that you all enjoy (:

Louis dropped his leather travel bag on his bed, turning he looked at his closet not sure what the hell he was going to bring to wear. What did one wear to meet your boyfriend's parents? What would he wear for the party? In the car? When he first met Mr. and Mrs. Styles? Whatever it was - he had nothing that was worthy of Harry and this weekend. Running his hands through his dirty hair he moaned. He knew that he needed pants, socks, shoes (not that he had nice ones) and then jimjams. He was screwed. Walking up to his closet he pulled out the few dress shirts that he owned and laid them on his bed. His feet moved over to the dresser where he pulled out two pairs of his skinny jeans to wear on their days off, Louis tossed them onto the bed as he opened up the second from the last drawer and grabbed a white cotton shirt, a black on and then a heather grey one. He could never go wrong with a simple cotton shirt. 

“Okay,” he said as he turned back to the closet hoping that the house elf that lived in the house was make nice clothes appear. Sadly the house elf must be on vacation for Louis saw nothing but his old, worn down clothes that made him look like a skater kid or old. “Fook.” 

“Foul language,” Niall said as he stood in the doorframe. Louis spun around, his face in a panic not sure how Niall got in for he never heard the doorbell. “I used this,” he said as he held up the key as Louis felt better that the door wasn’t left open or Maggie didn’t unlock it. Not that she would if it was her grandparents. “How is it going?” he asked as he smiled and almost skipped into his room before plopping down on his bed. His legs crossed as he rested his head on his hand and posted like an awkward model. Louis huffed and sat down on the ground his eyes gazing up at his clothes in his closet. “Oh, that good?” he asked as he let out a moan and bashed his head into the side of his bed frame. 

Niall laughed as he laid on his stomach and hung his head over and looked over at his mate. “It’s clothes.” 

Tilting his head back he looked over at Niall, “It’s not.” 

Rolling his eyes he looked at Louis who slumped down and laid on the ground, his body spread out like he had been run over by a car. “This is not the Louis Tomlinson that I know,” he said as he pushed himself up off the bed and walked around and side of the bed and stood looking at the closet. “So, you need a nice outfit for Saturday?” he asked as Louis just moaned. Niall took that as a yes, pushing a few hangers to the side he grabbed a few jumpers and set them on the bed. “Dress trousers,” he added grabbing both black and navy. “You have jeans, and now pack this,” he said as he grabbed a jean button up, as well as his green jacket and Adidas sweatshirt. “Going anywhere else?” 

Louis moaned again as he heard small footsteps running up the stairs. 

“Dad,” Maggie said out of breathe as if she had been running around. “Dad, dad, hey, can I bring my Peggy Carter costume?” she asked him as she jumped up on his bed and walked over the covers and looked down at him. “Why do you look like a dead cat?” She asked her face confused as she looked at her father. “It’s just Mr. Harry stop being so silly.” 

Louis pushed his lips together and glared at Maggie, as she gave him the same look back he smiled, “yes, just be careful. It took your Aunt a long time to make that one,” he reminded her as she nodded, jumping off the bed next to her father she bent over and kissed him on the forehead and ran out of the room. “I can bring it James!” Magdalena called out her voice fading as she ran down the stairs to her bedroom. Niall stood there and looked down at Louis as he moaned, closed his eyes and contorted his face. 

“Get your arse up,” he hissed nudging Louis with his foot. He moaned and he nudged him again as Louis rolled over onto his stomach he pushed himself up off the ground and stood up. His shoulders hunched over as he looked at Niall. “Look at these options, and then go and pack your stuff in the bathroom.” 

Huffing, Louis moved his feet over the carpet in his bedroom and headed to the bathroom. Grabbing this toothbrush, tooth paste, his after shave, shaver, as well as face wash, contacts which he never wore but though he might give a try. Shoving all this things into his leather travel bag, while he knew he should place them in some order he had given up that kind of packing long ago when he was working with Doctors without Borders. “This is weird. Should it feel weird?” He stuck his head outside of the bathroom and looked at Niall. 

“No, you are just over thinking it,” Niall told him as he held up a bag from Tesco as Louis furrowed his brow, “this shall help,” Niall said to him as Louis grabbed his bag, his eyes still looking at Niall as he walked back out to pack his toiletry bag. He didn’t trust him, he was a sneaky Irish man and when it came to Harry he always had man motives behind what he did. Niall took the Tesco bag and dumped it out on the bed as a box of condoms fells out along with lube and other things that Louis hadn’t seen since he was 16 and horny so much he would get a boner thinking of what was for dinner.

“For fooks sake,” he said with a huff as his eyes widened as he looked at the item on his bed praying that Maggie didn’t come running in here again. “Really Nialler?” 

Scoffing Niall sat down on the bed and looked up at Louis. “You went to med school, you know that if you don’t use those,” he said pointing to the box, “it can lead to disease and death.” Louis rolled his eyes as Niall kept on talking. “I know you are a grown man, but you need to be smart and not risk it. You have a daughter, and a sister and I don’t want you to die.” 

Louis said nothing as he began to fold the clothes he was going to bring, tossing the clothes that would just take up room and not be worn into a pile by the pillows on his bed. He still need to figure out what he was going to wear in the car, and Harry was going to be here in, he looked at the clock. A fooking hour. Rubbing his hands over his face and took a deep breath in, “So, I have called Keith, my lawyer and if anything is to come up, just give him a call.” 

Niall nodded his head, “she will be fine, I don’t think that they will try and do anything. But Charlie is just a phone call away so don’t worry please,” he said as Louis turned and looked at him, “please, they sent that email so you can worry. Don’t. You love this man and you need to enjoy your weekend trip with him. Don’t let this stop you, mentally, physically, emotionally, anyway.”

“Stop with the eyes you nasty man,” Louis said shaking his head. Oddly enough, he knew that everything he was saying was true. This was a big step and he had been pushing himself not to just call Harry and tell him that he couldn’t leave Maggie, something came up and he had to cancel. As much as he knew the email that Emily sent were hollow threats and it was to get under his skin, but there was that voice. That small voice in the back of his head that made him think that it might be true. So his sleep has been little to none to say the least since reading the email. Walking over to the closet he grabbed his black Adidas shoes, as well as his Vans and a dusty pair of oxfords. Setting them in his bag, he zipped up the leather duffle as his eyes looked at the time. “Fook, Niall what am I going to wear?” he asked as he saw his track pants and ratty t-shirt with holes in it. “Fook. Fook. Fook. Fook,” he said as Niall unzipped the bag, he grabbed Louis’s black skinny jeans and sat them down on the bed next to his bag. Standing up from Louis’s bed he made his way over to the dresser, opening up the drawers he looked through his t-shirts and found a Marvel one that would do. He tossed it on the bed and then his hands ran over his button up shirts and grabbed his jean one that was more of jacket but could be worn as a shirt.

“Add your vans and you will be good,” he told him as Louis looked down at his clothes. “I’m going to make sure that Mag has everything and then you better get your ass down so you can say goodbye to your daughter.” 

Louis mocked Niall as he left and shut the bedroom door. Getting up from the bed Louis dragged his feet into the bathroom to get ready to leave. His stomach felt as if it was sloshing around in his body with nerves. His chest was tight and he wasn’t sure if he was going to vomit or die of a heart attack. Could do both at the same time, he never knew. He quickly slipped his track pants off and pulled his worn out shirt over his head, both laid in a small pile on the tile floor in the bathroom as he grabbed his jeans and began to slip them on. Sticking his foot in his jeans he tried to keep to his balance he tripped and went crashing to the floor. His arse landed on the floor with a loud thud as he felt a jolt of pain up his back. 

“Son of a bitch!” Louis called out as he laid down on the tile. The thought of now actually having to cancel the trip flashed before his eyes. 

“Dad, are you okay?!” he heard Maggie call out. 

“Fine!” he yelled back as he tried to move but he just wanted to lay there for a moment praying the feeling of knives shooting up his back would stop and he could walk, hell even sit up at this point.  _ You need this, you love Maggie and going away doesn’t mean you don’t love her. That is just Emily and Wayne trying to make you feel like a shit father. You love this man, and you have the right to be happy. Maggie will be happy as well spending a weekend with James.  _ Opening up his eyes Louis looked up at the ceiling and placed his hand over his heart. He did love Harry, and if the time came this weekend he was going to let him know.  _ God, you are such a 16 year old wanker  _ he laughed at himself as he arched his back and slipped the rest of his jeans on before he sat up wincing in pain. Grabbing the sink he pulled himself up off the ground, sucked back the tears as he slowly removed his ratty shirt, setting it on the sink, he grabbed his Marvel one and slipped that on. Hunching over a bit, he pressed on his lower back before standing up straight and looking in the mirror. 

It had been years. Year since he had been on a holiday with anyone especially someone who meant so much to him. Smiling like a weirdo in the mirror Louis slipped his glasses on his face and headed out to get his bag and shoes. His eyes looked at the box of condoms that Niall had gotten him. Grabbing the box he shoved it into his bag along with the lube, zipped it up and tossed the strap over his shoulder. He grabbed the other things and tossed them into the top drawer of his bedside table so Maggie would never find them, nor would his sister and make a comment. His hands ran over the wall and turned off the light as headed out of his room and down the steps as the doorbell rang. 

As he rounded the corner of the steps Niall stopped Maggie as he turned to her, “I got it,” he said heading out of flat and down the steps. As Louis reached the ground floor. Maggie stood there with her bag on her shoulder waiting with James by her side. Louis made his way across the floor and set his own bag down on the kitchen table before he turned towards his daughter. 

“Do you have everything?” he asked her as she nodded her head. “Pajamas?” 

“Check,” Maggie said as she set her bag down and looked at her father. 

“Clothes for tomorrow, and Sunday?” 

“Yes, jeans and a few shirts and a jumper, and my boots,” she told her father as Louis went over the list in his mind. 

“Peggy Carter costume?” he asked as Maggie looked at her father and cocked her head. Laughing, he continued with his list. “Personal garments?” Maggie nodded. “Tooth brush? Socks? Hair stuff?” she nodded again. “Meds,” he said to himself as he walked over to the cabinet and pulled out her heart medication and made his way over to give it to Niall. “How are you feeling?” 

“Good, I have to see a doctor again don’t I?” 

Louis nodded as he heard the Niall heading back up the steps with Harry, “yep, you are running low and you know the drill,” he told her as he set the pills on the table and then grabbed some pain meds for his back. He took his left hand and pressed on his lower back and saw if that would help with the pain and it did for a few seconds. Shutting the cabinet Louis remembered that he forgot his jacket up on his bed. “Be right back,” he told his daughter as he jogged, in pain, back up the steps into his room. Making quick work he grabbed his jacket and quickly turned around and headed down the steps, his feet slowing down as he heard Maggie talking to Harry. Pausing on the steps he stood there on the steps, hidden from his daughter as he did what any father does best, easy drop. 

“So,” Maggie said her voice was distant as she spoke. “My dad doesn’t go out a lot on trips,” she told Harry as he could hear Niall laughing. He was going to beat his ass. “So, I have this bag, it has some of his favorite snacks for the car and the tea that he can’t live without,” Maggie said as she continued. “He gets overwhelmed so when he does don’t get mad if he steps away from a situation. He gets quiet at times but that doesn’t mean he isn’t enjoying himself, he just sometimes gets like me.” 

“Noted,” Harry’s voice said. 

“Lastly,” Maggie said, “He has a bad back, he doesn’t like to talk about it, but when he hunches over, or presses on his back a lot then he needs some pain meds. He has them with him at all times but he will need to be told to take them or he will be stupid and not.” 

Times like this he wish that he never raised his daughter to be so a great child, but she was good. She was wiser than her age and truly acted like his mother at times with how much she worried about him. Sometimes more than he worried about her he felt. 

“I will make sure he takes them, and that if they get bad I will get him a heat pat and an ice pack and everything he will need to be comfortable,” Harry assured her. “But I want you to do something for me?” 

“Anything.” 

“Have fun,” he said as Louis felt his heart flutter. “Enjoy your time with James, and your Aunt and know that your dad is going to miss you a lot and I will as well, but it’s okay to miss someone and still have fun.” 

“I know,” she said pausing. “I’m learning that it’s okay.” 

With that Louis composed himself, wiping the tear that escaped off his face, he walked down the last few steps and smiled as he saw Harry standing in the kitchen with his daughter. “Sorry,” he said as he held up his jacket. “Don’t want to forget this,” with that he lowered his hand and slipped his jacket on. 

“Have a fun weekend James,” Harry told him as he gave him a high five. “Are you going to be helping with the Nativity, or playing an instrument this year?” 

“I haven’t decided, I need to discuss it with my Maggie, it’s a tough choice,” he told him as if he was talking about what Unit to go to or what girl to propose to. “But I will know when it comes time.” 

“Sounds like a plan Mr. Horan,” he said as James’s face flushed as he picked up Maggie’s bag and she carried her costume. Walking over to her father Louis kneeled down and she wrapped her arms around his neck and he engulfed her into his own hug. “Be good, I know that you alway are. Be good for Aunt Charlie. Homework Sunday,” he said as she rolled her eyes at her father. “Homework and then maybe if you are good we can make some brownies or something.” 

Putting her costume on one arm Maggie extended the other to shake on the agreement with her father. Louis couldn’t help but laugh as he shook in agreement. Grabbing the HCM medication he handed it to Niall, “there will be enough for this weekend, when Charlie gets her tell her not to worry but we are going to the doctor Monday.” 

Niall nodded his head and he put the bottle in his jacket pocket, “Let’s head to the car kids, don’t want to miss dinner by getting stuck in traffic,” Niall said as he winked at Louis. “Take care of him this weekend,” he told Harry who nodded his head. James waved goodbye to Harry and Maggie was about to leave when she turned around and gave Harry a hug and then walked over to her father and gave him one as well. 

“Have fun this weekend. Promise.” 

Leaning down he kissed her on the top of the head, “I promise my munchkin,” he said to her as she smiled and headed down the steps after James and Niall. Louis stood there for a few moments and as soon as he heard the door shut he walked over to the windows that framed the fireplace, pushing back to the curtain he watched as Maggie got into the car and drove away. Moving his hand, the curtain fell back into place and Louis turned around and smiled at Harry. He had been in father mode that he didn’t have a second to stop and admire the man standing there. “Hello,” he said with a smile, “properly,” he laughed walking over to Harry, he wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed him gently on the lips. His hands rested on his waist as he kissed him once more before he looked Harry up and down. “I think you need to wear this lumberjack look more,” he said with a raised brown as he looked at the blue and black plaid shirt that hung on Harry's body perfectly.

“You have a lumberjack fetish?” 

“On you,” he laughed kissing him again as Harry rested his hands on Louis’s lower back and cupped his arse. “I like you in casual clothes, the ripped skinny jeans, and chucks,” he said to him as he looked down at Harry’s clothing for the trip. He had the urge to rip them off of him, but he stopped himself. He still had to be some sort of an adult. “How was your meeting?” he asked as he broke away and slipped his jacket on. “I know I hate when we have staff meetings, people talk about things that could be addressed in a bloody email.” 

“Long,” Harry said running his hands over his face. “A lot of it could have been solved with an email,” he laughed as Louis walked over and grabbed his grey beanie from the chair in the living room and slid it over his hair. “And to top it off when I got to my car it wouldn’t start.” Louis stopped where he was and looked at Harry. “Liam jumped it, and you know what it is good. Now. I think,” he said trailing off. “It will be fine for the drive.” 

Louis shook his head. 

“Yes, it’s fine, it’s time for me to get a new one… with all the money that I don’t have,” he said to himself. “What is that look for?” 

Louis grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder he made his way over to the door, slipping on his black slide on Vans he grabbed his car keys from the bowl by the door. Jingling them Harry walked over to the door. “We will take my car, “he held up his hand to stop him from arguing. “I would love to make it to Cheshire and back. I have a daughter,” he reminded him with a smile as Harry followed him out of the door and he locked up the flat. 

“You sure?” Harry asked him as he stuck his hands in his jacket pocket. “I feel like a dick.” 

Laughing, Louis headed down the steps and shook his head and Harry, now he was being ridiculous. “Stop it now Haza,” he told him as he stopped and looked back at him. “I wouldn’t have offered if there was an issue, you do know that right?” 

Harry was about to open his mouth to argue with Louis but stopped as he just looked at him blankly. Watching Louis, he had never seen a human do such an amazing deadpan face than he did right at that moment. Smirking, he turned and head back down the steps as Harry followed and he talked, “so my mum wants to know what you like to eat Sunday,” he said, “I figured we could leave around 8. Get home around 10 ish…” 

“Tell your mum I will eat literally anything,” Louis told him as his feet landed on the first floor of the flat. “And yes, that works for me. I told Charlie I wouldn’t probably be home around then, but I would keep her posted, and speaking of my crazy daughter, I see that you made you a car package for me?” 

Harry held up the bag, “it was adorable, you should have seen her face Lou, she has the look you do when you are serious, or thinking about something hard. She loves you Louis, and I’ve never seen such a simple, purse love in a long time.” 

Feeling a lump in his throat form he cleared it and smiled, “get your things and move them to the boot of my car,” he said as he tossed the keys over to Harry who caught them with both hands. “I need to talk with Vi - our landlady.” 

He nodded, turning the handle on the door he left the flat and headed to Louis’s car as he went to talk to the landlady. Harry felt as if Louis had been weird with locking the doors, and talking to a lot of people before he left. As if he felt that he was going to kill. Or maybe it had to do with the mysterious phone calls. His shoes made there way over the pavement and to his car, where he unlocked the piece of rotting metal and grabbed his bag and hanging clothes for the party. Shutting and locking his car he popped open the boot of Louis’s car and walked over to set all his things in it as he heard the flat door open and close. 

“Wanted to let her know, so she wasn’t worried,” Louis said to him, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket as he walked towards Harry. “Sorry, I’m being all weird. I’ve never done a weekend like this since Maggie was born. And I haven’t been on Holiday with a boyfriend since i was about 18.” 

As he reached the boot he removed his hand from the pocket, and slipped his bag off his shoulder setting it into the boot. Harry’s hand was on the top and once he was all cleared he shut it and smiled at Louis. “How is the back?” 

“Fine, and if you pester me about it, I will make your life hell,” he told him pointing as he walked around to the side and got into the passenger seat of the car. “I have an 8 year old and I know the ways to get a human to break no matter how tough they think they are.” 

As Harry opened his mouth a laughed escaped out into the evening air. His eyes closed and his entire face seemed to light up as he thought about what Louis had just said to him. “I find that threat funny yet terrifying,” he said as he opened the car door and both men got in. As soon as Harry sat down his knees hit the dashboard, feeling under the seat he pulled the lever and had the seat rush backwards to a more comfortable position as Louis got everything settled with his mobile and the music. “We should be good on petrol, but we will have to fill up tomorrow morning,” Louis told him as Harry started the car and they headed away from his flat. Pressing play on his Spotify playlist he had spent four long hours making he set his mobile in the cup holder and sat back. 

“I am paying for petrol so don’t fight me on that one Tomlinson,” Harry said as he took his hand off the wheel and pointed at Louis who just smiled the same smile that Maggie had. “It’s amazing how much of you is in Maggie.” 

“She got my height, poor thing,” He joked pulling his legs up to his chest and watching Harry as he drove. “She got my sass which is going to come back and kick my arse when she turns the ages of 13 till she dies,” Harry laughed, covering his mouth for he knew it was true. “But she has a lot of Carly. Her hair, for one. Her body built being slender, her smarts. Those are not from me. I had to work hard at school, she could do school in her sleep.” 

“She has your smile, your eyes, your heart for everyone around her,” added Harry. “She also has the same look when she is puzzled that you do where you furrow your brown and press your lips together so it looks like a thin line,” he explained, “and the same evil smile when you are up to something and it could be bad but most of the time it ends up good.” 

“So my child is as evil and sassy as I am?” 

“Yes.” 

“Good, I done right,” he joked with Harry. “Do you want kids?” Louis asked. “Like before me and Maggs.” 

Harry nodded, some of his curls breaking away from the gel holding back his hair. “I have wanted to be a dad since I was 15. When Gemma and I would play, I was always a stay at home dad and my wife was out working.” Louis covered his mouth as his heart fluttered. “I love kids, they can teach us so much. I for a while thought I was never going to have a family when I realized I was who I am. But then after processing it I realized there was adoption but I never found the right person.” 

“Your Ex…” 

“Jesus, no,” Harry said as he turned to Louis, “he told me he wanted them and then after the two year mark said that I had made it up and he never wanted to have children for they were messy, and gross and too much money.” 

“Fook.” 

“Yeah.” 

Louis bit the inside of his lip, reaching his hand over he placed it on Harry’s knee. “Well, your ex is a dick,” he told Harry as his face flushed. “And, while Maggie isn’t your daughter, you treat her as such and I want to thank you for that.” Turning his head he smiled at Louis. “I mean it Hazza.” 

“I know,” he said as he took Louis’s hand and gave it kiss. “Thank you - she is an amazing young woman Louis, I know where she gets it from.” Punching Harry’s arm as a joke Harry winced in pain as he acted as if Louis had just broken his arm. 

“Oi, stop it you loser,” Louis said as he shoved Harry and a laugh escaped his lips. “So, what do I need to know going into tomorrow?” 

Taking a deep breathe in Harry merged onto the M1 and flowed with traffic home. He opened his mouth, pausing he closed it and thought for a few seconds and then reopened his mouth, “so.” He said as Louis waited patiently for him to talk. “There are members of my family that will be there, members that were invited due to being brothers and sisters to my parents.” 

“Ones that you see at weddings or funerals?” 

Harry nodded. “So a run down so you can mentally prep,” he said clearing his throat. “On my dad’s side, there is his sister Mary-Ann. She is nice, she likes to hit the bottle really hard since her husband left her. She is the eldest one. Then my dad has twin brothers, Walter and Todd. Walter owns a landscaping business and Todd works from home as a journalist for a blog thing. They are both married. Walter is married to Josie who works at a clothing shop and Todd is married to Sofia who is an event photographer,” Harry told him. “I will show you photos when we get to the hotel.” 

“I feel like I’m going undercover,” joked Louis as he looked at the cars in front of them. “They don’t sound so bad, but I feel that I should worry about your mum’s side,” he laughed as Harry nodded his head and turned to look at Louis. “Oh, shit. That bad?” he asked with his brow arched. 

“My mum is the eldest, she has a brother Travis who is a very uptight rigid man. I mean that in a way where he wears pressed suits, he has a 9-5 office job. His wife dresses like the women from the 1950’s always perfect. Their kids are the same way,” he told him. 

“So there kids just did the stereotypical male and female gender roles?” Louis asked him as he looked down at his mobile and checked his email as well as sent a message to Charlie to let her know that he was out of London and to keep him updated on anything. “I’m sorry, but I hate that.” 

Harry just nodded, “so that is that. Their kids aren’t coming - are at least they didn’t say but I hope not. My mum had a third brother but he passed away from a drug overdose three years ago.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

Harry shrugged, “he was nice but he was never the same after he was in a work accident and was on pain meds,” he told him. “So that is the family that will you will need to know, but I’m sure they will just say something to you and then go on with there day,” he assured him as Louis felt a weight off his chest and that he could breathe. “So about my parents and sister,” he went on to tell him. “My mum and dad are secretly hippies.” 

Louis laughed as he set his feet down on the floor of the car and arched his back, taking his hands he pressed it on his lower spine trying to make the pain that was shooting up his back and into his neck. “My mum is a teacher and my father is a banker. I know mundane jobs but you should see them when they are not on the clock,” he explained. “Gemma, she is something else. Crazy funny, she had pink hair - I’m not sure what color it is.” 

“She should meet Charlie.” 

Louis leaned his head against the window as the song  _ Powerful  _ by Major Lazer played in the car. His eyes closed as he listened to the song. His eyes were heavy from the day, but he felt bad for dozing off as Harry drove. HIs eyes might be closed but he listened as he hummed along to the song. With his eyes closed he spoke to Harry, “so, what have you told your mum and dad about me?” 

Pressing his lips together Harry hummed as he thought about it, while he was doing it to bother Louis he did have to think for a moment on what he told them about it without letting the L word slip, or making him sound mental. “You have grey hair, are old as fuck and cranky and I’m dating you so I can take all your money when you die before I do,” he told him as Louis opened up his eyes and glared at him. 

“I hate you,” he said his face serious as he opened up both eyes, crossing his arms over his chest he sat up straight, “Pull over, I’ll take my car back and you can walk home,” he told Harry, his voice serious as he turned his head and looked over at Louis. “Harold.” 

“Don’t give me ‘the dad’ voice,” Harry said as he shook his finger at him. “I will give you a teach voice, Mr. Tomlinson,” Harry said as his voice went from fun to serious in a matter of seconds. The tone alone made Louis sit up straight and narrowed his eyes at Harry. “See,” he told him with a smile, “I can play this game.” 

Rolling his eyes Louis hunched down, “whatever Haza,” he joked with him. “So, what did you really tell them about me?” 

“That you have a daughter, I told him the abridged version of your life story,” he told him. “I told them how happy you make you, that you are sarcastic, funny, kind, and that you make me smile,” he explained. “Is your back okay?” 

“Yes.” 

“Do you need to take your meds?” 

Narrowing his eyes Louis looked at Harry as he held up his hand in defence. “I’m asking as someone who cares about you Lou.” 

“How much longer?” 

“45 minutes.” 

“I will when we get to the destination,” he promised him, he moved and turned his entire body towards Harry, “so tell me about young Harold.” 

“First off, the name is Harry.

“Whatever Harold.” 

Rolling his eyes Harry wasn’t sure how to answer that, while Louis had baggage and he was willing to open up about there was something things that Harry wasn’t sure if he was ready and if he wanted to hash it out all in a car. “What age?” 

“Age 8,” Louis told him. 

“Well,” he said thinking about what he was like when he was 8, “I had short curly hair, a gap in my teeth,” he said pointing to his two front teeth. “I also wanted to fight crime with Scooby-Doo and the gang, oh and I was in love with track suit.” 

“Yes, the boy in the match track suit,” Louis said as he removed his glasses and hung them from his shirt as he wiped the tears from laughing off the side of his face. “Please tell me there are photos?” 

“My mum has them, though I wish that she would burn them.” 

“I am so happy she didn’t.” 

Harry slowed down as the traffic was coming to a stop. “Okay Mr. Giggles, what was Louis like at age 8?” 

“I lived in my Donnie jersey, was convinced that I would be a professional footie player. I also thought I was going to be an only child for my parents weren’t talking about having another child,” he told him. “Oh, and I was oddly obsessed with Elvis.” 

“No.” 

Louis nodded his head. “I wanted his hair, and I tried my best to make my hair look like his.” 

“Who doesn’t?” Harry laughed. 

“13?” 

“Capri pants, white keds and popped polos,” he said laughing as he thought about being 13. “Gemma was dating Ryan who was a rugby player at the time and she told me what it was like to kiss someone. I was teased about my hair so I took her straightener and straightened my hair to,” he shook his head, “and as hard as I tried, there are photos of me still out there thanks to my evil sister.”

“I am so glad I came on this trip,” Louis told Harry as he flicked Louis’s knee. “Ow,” he said over dramatically to Harry who just kept on driving. 

“And you?” 

“I found out that I was having a baby sister, I still loved footie but I found my love for scene music and thought I was those cool kids with the haircut where the fringe covered my eyes, I wore Vans and skinny jeans and ban shirts.” 

“So, you are you but with better hair?” Harry offered him as Louis stuck up his middle finger. “I’m sure if I looked at your Spotify there would be some Panic and FOB that was recently played and don’t even deny it,” he said as his hand reached down and snagged Louis’s phone before he could argue. “let me see,” he said as he typed in his password and pulled up his recently played history. “Ha, I was was correct,” he said as he pressed the  _ Death of a Bachelor  _ album and it began to play in the car. “Why did you stop playing footie?” 

“I was playing a game for a club league and a kid was playing dirty, he kicked the ball from under me and it happened so fast that when I fell my back cracked and I couldn’t get up. I needed surgery but I didn't want to be out of school for that long - so I just took pain meds and did therapy  that helped, but didn’t fix it. I tried to play but it wasn't the same. So I stopped and was interested in medicine. I guess I pulled  Steven Stranger and was interested in how I could help myself and then realizes that it's what I wanted to do with my life. Help people,” he continued, “I mean I can play a game here and there but my back doesn’t last too long and I need to get surgery at some point to help it I just don’t have the luxury of doing it now.” Louis quickly changed the subject, “so, I take it that you were the quiet shy one in school.” 

Harry nodded, “Gemma is very outgoing, and loud and vibrant so when I followed her in school I was the opposite so the teachers were puzzled, and they thought I was going to be Gem. And we are anything but the same.” 

“Have you seen me and Charlie?” Louis laughed. “I don’t think the teachers believed we were related even when they met my parents again. “I was the class clown but I worked hard for my grades. School didn’t come easy for me at all, but I didn’t want to disappoint my mum and dad and I wanted to play footie.” 

Harry knew the feeling,“I got good grades, I was a lot like Magdalena to be frank,” he explained, “I grew into my skin when I was 17. I kissed a boy for the first time and then dated him for a year until we went to college. I then had a few dates here and then but didn’t have a boyfriend until I was 20 and in Uni.” 

“I was 15,” Louis told him as he watched saw the sign that they were close to Cheshire. “I kissed a boy and came home and sat in my room thinking if it was okay. My mum worried about me since I never came down for dinner and stayed in my room all night and then said I was sick and couldn’t make it to school. She came into my room and I told her about kissing a boy, she asked me how I felt, and she told me that she loved me and that it was okay to like boys.” 

“She sounded like an amazing women,” Harry told him as he removed his hand from the steering wheel and placed it on Louis’s knee. “What did your dad say?” 

“We were in the backyard and I was passing a footie ball with him and told him and he said that I was his son, and that even if I like no one he would still love me. We then went on and passed the ball around a bit more, and then went in for dinner as a family and life went on,” Louis told him, “I realize now how lucky I was with my parents.” 

Harry nodded.

Feeling the tears in his eyes Louis cleared his voice and smiled at Harry, “with the remaining time what game shall we play?” he asked as the car slowly came to a stop. “And thanks to traffic we might have time to play a few…” he trailed off grabbing his mobile and checking the traffic. Making a clicking sound with his mouth Louis saw there was a four car pile up a few miles ahead of them. “So…. radio game? Yellow car? I Spy?” 

“You are always playing yellow car,” Harry told him with a smile, “Radio game.” 

Closing out of his Maps app Louis pulled up Spotify and when to all the radio section, “What question do you want to ask the wise Spotify?” He asked as the red lights from the car in front of them shone on Harry's face and he thought about what he wanted to ask. 

 

***

 

Once the tires pulled up the driveway and Harry put the car into park Louis’s heart stopped. Reminding himself to breathe he unbuckled his seatbelt and sat there for a few seconds. The house was what he pictures, it had the feeling of home from the front door that was painted red, to the bench on the patio out front and the plants that were in the front yard. 

“You coming?” Harry asked as he bend down and looked into the car. 

Louis nodded, opening up the car door he stepped out, his legs ached, as did his back. Once he fully stood up he felt a surge of pain in his back, wincing he laced his fingers together, reaching up over his head he tried to manipulate his back and prayed it would stop hurting. As he stretched Harry walked around the car, seeing his shirt lift up and he got a glimpse of the ink that was on Louis’s skin that he sometimes forgot was there. 

“I got you,” Harry said as he extended his arm out and held his hand there. Dropping his arms Louis extended his hand, lacing his fingers with Harry’s they headed from the car to the front door. His heart raced as their feet moved across the brick pavers. His knees began to shake, the same way they did before a footie game. “You sure that your back is okay? I don’t mean to keep asking you about it, you just are walking weird.” 

Louis nodded, “I have a shit back, and I fell today and it’s just in a bit of pain now,” he told him truthfully, as they stood on the porch, “looks like we have to go around back,” he said as he pulled the note off the door. With that they headed back down off the steps, and over the green grass to the back of the house. Louis looked at the house, it seemed almost perfect with the way it was just the perfect size for a family of four, the lawn was manicured, he could only imagine how the inside looked. As they rounded the corner of the house Louis saw the large backyard that just seemed to go on for ever and ever. There was a large patio, it was made out of concrete that had a build in fire pit along with a nice almost living room type furniture. Going from the house to the tree’s were light, Louis wasn’t sure if they were hung for the party of ir they were always like that. 

The grass crunched under their feet as they walked closer to where Harry’s family was sitting around the fire. “Is that my son?” a voice asked that was deep like Harry’s. A tall man, who was thin just like Harry stood up, placed his hand on his brow he looked over at Harry. “It is!” 

“Sorry, we hit traffic,” Harry told him as he never once let go of Louis’s hand as they walked onto the patio as his father walked over to Harry and patted him on the shoulder and then walked over to Louis. “Nice to see you to,” laughed Harry as his father extended his hand to Louis. 

“Carlton,” he said to him as Louis gave him a firm grip and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you son, glad that you were able to make it out this weekend with Harry.” 

Louis nodded, “thank you for having me,” he told him as they headed over to the two empty seats. “Ello everyone,” Louis said as he waved his hand awkwardly as his other one clenched Harry’s. 

“This is my mum Poppy,” he said as Louis smiled at the women who sat there with her hair pulled back into a bun on the top of her head. Her bright blue eyes reminded him of Harry’s and he knew where he got his from. “My sister Gemma, who now has normal color hair,” he laughed as Gemma was now sporting a natural brunette tone to her hair which was pulled back into a low ponytail. She had a scarf wrapped around her neck, a jumper on with her pajama pants and wool socks. “And my brother in law Sebastian.” Harry pointed to the man with ginger hair, a wide smile and was nursing a beer. “Family this is Louis, be gentle to him.” 

There was a chorus of ‘hellos’ as Gemma set her coffee cup down and stood up, walking over to Louis she wrapped her arms around Louis and gave him a hug. “Oh, it’s fantastic to meet you,” she said as Louis wrapped his arms around her and embraced her hug. “Harry has been so happy thanks to you,” she said as she placed her hands on Louis’s shoulder and leaned back. “Thank you.” 

“It goes both ways,” Louis reminded her. “He has made me happy as well.” 

Gemma opened her mouth and placed her hand on her heart. “So, how was the drive up? Harry did you get your car looked at yet?” Poppy asked her son as she set her cuppa down and arched her brow at her son. Harry took a seat down next to Louis as they let the fire warm them up, Louis turned and looked at Harry who said nothing but grabbed a stick and a marshmallow. “So by the look Louis just gave you and your silence that is a no.” 

“It’s fine mum,” he said as he held his marshmallow over the fire. “Did you guys get everything set up?” 

“Yes, but we don’t need to talk about that,” Gemma said as she turned and looked at Louis, “so, Lou, tells us about yourself.” 

“Ah, okay,” Louis said as he leaned back into the chair, “well I grew up in Doncaster, I have a sister who is 13 years younger than me, but we are really close. I went to school in London and went on to be a RN. I have an eight year old daughter Magdalena. Her mum was a dear friend of mine and she passed away when Maggie was five. I went to go work for doctors without borders and Maggie came with me. We moved back this year and it was the best decision that I have made in my life.” 

Harry pulled his marshmallow from the fire and felt his lips curling up in a smile. “I am pretty glad that you did to,” he said taking a bite and then passing it over to Louis. 

“What did your parents do for a living?” 

“My dad was an architect and did a lot of at home work, he was also good with sewing. That is how my sister found her love for costumes and design,” explained Louis to them as he wrapped his arm around Harry’s shoulders. “My mum stayed at home with me and then she went back to work at a local cafe and she worked there until she had Charlotte, my sister, and then she stayed at home to raise her like she raised me,” he explained to them. “I am grateful everyday for that. My mum and dad showed me how it was to raise a family, I used all they taught me, and showed me as I raise my daughter.” 

“I’m sure that she is a bright and amazing young woman,” Poppy told him, “I’m sorry that she couldn’t come this weekend. But, we would love to come down to London and meet her, or have you boys come back up for a weekend during the holidays.” 

“I think we could work that out,” he promised them as he yawned. “Sorry, long day.” 

Carlton nodded, “no worries about that, we know long day. We don’t want to keep you boys, we just wanted to meet you before the party and all hell breaks loose,” he said as Poppy slapped her husband in the stomach. “I mean, before it’s a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves.” 

“Better,” she told him setting her cup down. “What time will you boys be back tomorrow?” 

“After breakfast?” Harry asked her, “I can call when we wake up and see if you need us to pick up anything and then head over?” 

Poppy nodded, “no one will be here till later, and knowing Asher he will be up nice and early so we will be up,” she laughed. “Why does your son want to be get up before the sun?” 

“Gets it after his father,” Gemma said as she turned and looked at her husband. “He likes to be up so early and I hate it, every second of it,” she told them. “But, it’s late and we should turn in for we will have a lot of random thing to get done tomorrow,” she said standing up and grabbing the blanket that was wrapped around her and her coffee mug. “Goodnight everyone,” she said bending down and picking up her mug. “It was fantastic to meet you Louis, and expect more questions tomorrow from me,” she laughed as she pointed at Louis and walked towards the door to lead into the house. Seb quickly followed, he was beat and knew that he was going to be up soon with their son. Sitting there it was just Louis, Harry and his parents. 

As the fire crackled Harry laid his head on Louis’s shoulder and watched the fire in front of them. “So, Louis, how is it working at the A&E?” 

“Good, see a lot of bad, and a lot of good to,” he explained to them. “I would love to go back to school one day, maybe when Maggie is a bit older to finish up and become a doctor but right now I am happy doing what I’m doing.

“You will,” Harry said as he looked up at Louis, so in love and proud of him. “He fixed my arm up when I burnt it making cookies.” 

“Only my son,” Carlton laughed, “He would burn himself, the boy could be walking trip and hurt his ankle.” 

Louis cackled as he nodded in agreement. “It’s true, I’ve seen it first hand, his chicken legs and baby giraffe coordination gets the best of him.” 

“Oi!” Harry laughed slapping his stomach. “Watch it,” he threatened him as Louis scrunched his face at him as he let out another yawn. “Someone is an old man.” 

“I was up early, why aren’t you half asleep?” 

“I downed a Redbull before I left my flat,” he told him. “But I am tired to. I hate to cut it short,” he said sitting up and stretching. Pushing himself up he walked over and gave his mum a kiss and a hug, and then gave his father a hug. “I will call when we are up and ready tomorrow.” 

His mother nodded. Louis stood up and made his way over to where Harry’s parents were sitting and gave Poppy a hug and shook Carlton’s hand again. “See you both in the morning,” Louis said  to them as Harry took his hand and both men headed back around the back of the house to car as not to make to much noise. 

“How are you holding up?” Harry asked as they made it to the front yard. Louis stopped, pulling Harry close to him he wrapped his arms around his neck and gently kissed him, only pulling away for a second before kissing his lips again. “And in words that means?” laughed Harry as he asked the crazy man standing in front of him. Louis just smile, and started there walk back to the car. “Are you going to kill me? Did something snap in your brain and you now want to kill me?” 

Louis just laughed and shook his head, “I love your parents, sister and brother in law,” Louis said as he stopped at the car and waited for Harry to unlock it. “I am looking forward to tomorrow, but I am also looking forward to a shower and sleep.” 

“That,” Harry said as he unlocked the car and both men stood looking over the hood, “that we can get for you in about ten minutes.” 

  
  


***

 

Harry could hear the water running from the shower that Louis was taking. The first thing he did once they got into the room (besides fall face first into the bed to see how soft it was) was he set his bag down, grabbed his toiletries and headed into the shower. This gave Harry time to unpack and make sure that the clothes he brought didn’t need to be ironed again. He had his toiletries set out on the desk in the room waiting to be set in the toilet once Louis had finished his shower. Harry felt his eyes growing heavy and he knew that once he sat down he would be out of the evening so he kept on moving. Zipping up his suitcase he set it in the closet. 

“Jimjam time,” he said to himself as his hands unbuttoned his plaid shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders he laid in on the bed before walking over the the dresser where the telly was and grabbing his sweatshirt he was going to put on, he looked down at his arms and his paused for a second. Turning his head he looked at the bathroom door and from there he could hear Louis singing, off key, to a song that he played in the car. Leaving the sweatshirt stay in the drawer he grabbed his jimjam bottoms he got last year for Christmas. They were red with penguins on them and they all had santa hats on.  _ Why didn’t you just bring your grey track pants?  _ He asked himself as he closed the drawer with his leg and headed back over to the bed. Stripping from his skinny jeans he quickly pulled the jimjam’s over his legs and had them sit at his waist as his white short sleeve undershirt hung from his body. Quickly gathering up his clothes he hung up his shirt and folded his jeans and set them in the drawer that his trousers on the right and Louis’s on the left. 

“There’s an energy, when you hold me. When you touch me, it’s so powerful. I can feel it when you hold me, when you touch me. It’s so powerful,” Louis sang out muffled from the shower and being behind a closed door. Stopping Harry listened for a moment as Louis sang and smiled as he could see him awkwardly dancing in the shower as he sang. 

Louis was going to be in there for a while longer, so he took this as a sing to help him unpack. Opening up his bag he pulled out his Adidas jumper and then his casual clothes and stopped as he saw the box of condoms and lube. 

_ Oh. _ Reaching in he grabbed a note and it had a smiley face drawn on it with the initials N.H.  _ That now makes more sense _ . He said to himself as he put his things back into his bag and let it be. Taking a deep breath in, he heard the shower stop and knew that Louis would be out soon. His eyes looked down at his arms, he wasn’t sure why he doing it, but he knew that he needed to talk to Louis and be honest with him. Once the bathroom door opened Louis walked out, he had a towel in his hand as he tried off his hair. He waked out, his grey track pants sitting right below his waist as it showed off the tattoos on his arms, the one on his chest and the ones on his hip area. Harry’s eyes looked over Louis several times and reminded himself to breathe. 

“That shower gave me a new meaning of life,” he joked as he took the towel and rubbed it on his hair. “I need to get one of those for my flat,” he added turning around and tossing the towel into the bathroom. 

Harry snorted as Louis walked over to him, “do you know how to install one of those?” 

Louis shrugged, “google it?” he suggested to him as he walked over to the bed. “Sorry, I will unpack now,” his arm reached for the bag and removed it from the bed and set it on the chair. “Short sleeves, this is a new look,” he told him as Harry sat down on the bed and pulled his legs up to his chest. “You okay? Did you mum call and tell you to run for I’m crazy and you should never been with me?” 

Harry shook his head no. 

“So,” he said sitting down he looked at Harry, “what is up then darling?” 

Harry smiled, he wasn’t sure if words were going to be able to come out of his mouth, but he sure was going to try. “I haven’t been honest to you,” he said and then stopped. “Not in, that way. In the way -” he paused and thought about his words as he formed them in his head. “I don’t wear short sleeves for a reason,” he said taking a deep breath in as Louis crossed his legs in front of him and sat there, his back hunched over as he watched Harry. 

“I am here,” Louis promised him as he set his hand on the knee, “I am not running, take the time that you need Hazza.” 

Running his hand through his hair, he took a deep breathe in, “I met a guy. Tanner. In Uni. He was a first year like me and we had biology together,” explained Harry slowly as he tried not to think too much about it, and just tell Louis as fast and painless as he could. “We had an instant connection, he was funny and we had a good laugh. We hung out, like mutual with friends and then in a few weeks he asked me out and I said yes.” Louis sat there and nodded his head he understood that. He would have done the same thing. “The first year was bliss. It was fun and we had a lot of great times.” 

“Take your time,” Louis said softly to him as he took his hand and rubbed his tumber in a circle on Harry’s knee. 

“He started to get odd. He would say little things that were odd, but I let them slide. He slowly started to change, he drove a wedge between me and my parents. He told my sister things and we didn’t talk for a bit. He also made me think that I was stupid. He would tell me things, that no one would love me and I was lucky to have him. I was so stupid that I should drop out of Uni. I couldn’t do anything with my life and he needed to take care of me,” he told him. “And when you get beaten down you just give in and think that. I lost all my friends, he told me that they were trying to ruin us., they were toxic for me and all I needed was him.” 

“Liam stayed?” 

Harry nodded, “Liam knew me, and he didn’t put up with Tanner’s bull. I just never told him that Liam and I still hung out. It was a secret and I still feel bad to this day about that part of our friendship,” Harry said as he closed his eyes. “Liam was the only person who gave me hope that I was going to be okay. He would act normal around me, and I felt that I was smart and worthy and a decent person.” 

Opening his mouth to speak Louis closed it and let Harry continue. 

“At two years he was possessive. I had to report to him where I went, when I got there who all was there and if there was another gay male he would have to be there to make sure that I stayed true to him and didn't cheat. He isolated us so much that the only time I saw people was for group projects and even then he was there watching.”

“I stopped eating, it got to a point where my parents came to get me from Uni for holiday and when I told him he went mental in me in the flat,” explained Harry as he closed his eyes as tight as he could so not to go back there. “I was packing my bag, trying to do it before he got there. Liam was going to take my car and drop me off to meet my mum and dad and then use my car to drive to see family. I heard the door open and he started to yell, saying that I was nothing without him and would be calling him from the car for I can't do anything right. He came after me, I ran into the bathroom. Locked the door and hit in the shower. He pounded in the door - he kept saying ‘you dumb piece of shit. You can't do anything right. Your family wants us apart for they want to control your life. I will make sure that you learn your lesson you fucking dick’. 

The words hit Louis and stung. He wanted to wrap his arms around Harry and protect him but he knew he needed to finish, he also knew Harry was strong and didn't need to be shielded. 

“He broke down the door, it went flying and he came after me. I stood in the bath shower combo, he turned and punched the mirror, saying how I made him do this, and what he was about to do was my fault and not his,” his voice shook as he opened his eyes but turned his head away from Louis. He didn't want to see his eyes when he spoke, he didn't want to see the look of losing him when he finished with it all. “He shoved me. I tripped and hit my head on the tile in the shower so hard that I started to bleed and everything went foggy. He grabbed the glass from the mirror,” he stopped and extended his arm. From his wrists up to his elbow were lines that were scars. Some long while others were short. Taking his hand Louis used his free hand to touch them. “He began to cut me, saying how I did this to myself and he was going to let me die for I was worthless. I was unworthy of happiness, I should give up in school, my family hated me, my friends all left and he then said, as my arm was bleeding and I could barely see, he said he did this for he loved me so much.”

Louis took his right hand and turned Harry's face towards him. He let go of Harry’s hand and wipes the tears from his face. 

“Liam, he found me. He called 999 and my parents. I woke up two days later with 5 stitches in my head and my arm wrapped up and a policeman outside my hospital room door,” he said. “My sister was there, her face red from crying and we talked for several hours and cried, laughed and forgave each other. I was in hospital for a week before I went home with my parents. I had a month off school, I did my course work at home and got better. Liam and some mates moved all my stuff out of the flat I was sharing and into his dorm room.”

“Good mate.”

“The best,” Harry said with a smile. “I got better, I wore long sleeves and went back to school with not much changing. But mentally I wasn't okay, I had so many, God so many demons and they were eating at me. I was still skinny, and didn't want to do much but go to class and go back into the dorm room. So Liam suggested I talk to someone, someone who was a third party and who I could say whatever I wanted, cry, yell and let it all out. So I did. I went three times a week for a good four months. Then dropped down to once a week and now three years after the fact I still go once every other month,” explained Harry as he wiped the tears from his face. “I didn't want to keep this from you. But I'm not proud of it. It's, it's not pretty and I'm better but. I'm sorry.” 

Through his own tears Louis cupped Harry’s face and looked at him. His eyes locking with his as he spoke, “You are so strong Harry, brave and an inspiration to everyone in a relationship like that to get out. You are worthy of the world and more. What happened to you sucks - it's shit but it made you this,” he stopped and kissed Harry’s nose. “It made you into this amazing, strong, intelligent, humble man that I love. A man who has opened his heart to me and my daughter.” 

Taking his hands Harry wiped his eyes and looked at Louis, he cleared his throat and did his best to compose himself. “Sorry.” 

Cupping his face with his hands Louis kiss Harry gently on the lips and then on the nose. “Don’t ever be sorry. It took a strong man to make it out of that, and it took an even stronger man to get help and get better,” Louis told him as he looked into his blue eyes, “you are the man who has helped my daughter, the man who has helped me. Don’t ever be sorry for that, ever darling.

Pressing his forehead against Louis’s bare chest Harry took a deep breath in. Louis’s hands ran up and down his back slowly. “I’m sure this isn’t the kind of night you wanted,” laughed Harry as he shook his head as he wiped the snot from his nose. “I’m an ugly crier,” he said composing himself as he rubbed his eyes. “You have been so transparent with me and it hurt me that I wouldn’t and couldn’t with you,” he told him truthfully as Louis kissed him on his forehead and took his thumbs and cleared the tears from his face. “I know it doesn’t seem right, I felt that it was right.” 

Nodding, Louis removed his hand and took his left hand and ran them over his scars. Harry winced as he looked at Louis, worried that he was going to look at him as if he was worthless, but Louis just looked at him. His eyes looked at the scars and then he looked back up at Harry, with the love in his eyes. “I love these scars,” Louis said to him as he lifted his hand and kissed them. “I love everything about you Harry, and as much as this hurt you, oh it made you so amazing and it showed you the strength that you have.” 

Leaning forward Harry kissed Louis, he wrapped his arms around his neck and closed his eyes as he pressed his head against his bare chest. “Thank you for listening,” he said as his body felt exhausted. His eyes were heavy, and his entire body seemed to want to just collapse there on the bed and sleep. “We should sleep.” 

Louis nodded, “nice transition,” he laughed as Harry looked up at him his eyes narrowed, red and swollen from crying. “I know, when I have those cries my body just,” he made a face as he blew out his cheeks and stuck out his tongue. “Did you know there is a medical reason why you get tired after crying?” he asked as he got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom to turn off the light. 

“Enlighten me not yet doctor but soon be,” he said as he got up and pulled down the blankets on the bed and plugged his mobile into charge. 

“Crying causes the body to lower the good amount of hormones which are responsible for the psychological health. So,” Louis told him as he walked over and plugged into his mobile. “To recover the adequate hormone level, the brain sends chemical messages to the neurons to induce sleep so the body can rest and recuperate,” he explained to Harry as he let out a yawn. “So, alarm or no?” 

Bending over Harry unlocked his mobile and pulled up his clock, “yeah. I will set it for 9 so that we can actually wake up,” he laughed rubbing his hands over his eyes. “Do you want to sleep under or over the overs?”

Louis’s bare feet walked over the carpet over the bed. “We aren’t 12, I think we can both sleep under the same covers,” he laughed as he checked his mobile one last time and shooting Charlie a text and Niall checking in on Maggie. “I’m beat and will end up passing out. If I don’t wake up please make sure that I’m up.” 

Harry nodded his head as both he and Louis climbed into bed. Laying down Louis yawned as Harry turned out the light and both men laid there in the darkness. Louis’s eyes adjusted to the dark as he heard Harry breathing next to him. “I love you to,” Harry said his voice was unshaken. 

Feeling his curl up into a smile. Rolling over on his left side he watched Harry’s body as it laide there tense. He took his pointer finger and drew circles on his arm. “Your family is fantastic, I never got to tell you.” 

“They are alright,” Harry laughed as he turned his head to look at Louis. “I love them. I’m glad that you do to. I mean it,” he said as Louis cocked his head. “I do love you Louis, and I’ve wanted to say it for a long time. I love Maggie as well.” 

He nodded, “I know, that is why I was able to say it,” he assured him with a yawn. “But, I need sleep.” His eyes grew heavy as he laid there. “I will see you in the morning my love,” he told him as his voice grew deep. “Night.”   
  
“Night,” Harry said as he watched watched Louis slowly drift to sleep and he couldn’t help but smile and realize how in love he actually was. 


	15. Nobody Like You

Harry looked around as he tried to find Louis, his parents house wasn’t that bug, but with the amount of people here today he seemed to have been lost in the crowd. His Aunt was standing in front of him talking about something - he wasn’t sure for she smelt of alcohol and was slurring her words. He had lost track of where Louis was when his Aunt Mary walked up to him and he had to act as if he was interested in her problems. He had been held captive by her for what seemed like an hour, and he was still shocked that she was able to semi speak in full sentences as this point. He had been able to evade most of his family, by having himself and Louis weave in and out of rooms depending on who was in there. It had been a great plan up until now.  Like predicted, his mum and dad’s family friends arrived a bit after 3. His other parents friends came between 3:15 and 3:45 with his family arriving at 4:30. No one had gotten drunk, which he hoped wouldn't happen since most of those attending were adults but Harry never knew with his family. The food had gone over well, and they hadn’t run out either which was a plus. 

 

They had made there official first rounds where Louis was able to meet everyone and answer the typical questions when family and friends meet a new human that is brought into the family. 

Q: What do you do for a living?   
A: I am a nurse at an A&E. I just moved back from London from working with Doctors without Borders. 

Q: How did you and Harry meet?   
A: My daughter is in his class, as well as he came into the A&E when he burnt his hand making cookies. 

Q: You have a daughter?”   
A: Yes. My best friend in Uni had cancer for most of her life, and she was worried that she would never be able to have kids so we went to a doctor and she had Maggie. She sadly passed a few years back but she gave me one of the best things in my life and I would never, ever change that.

Q: That is amazing. How do you like Cheshire?   
A: It’s lovely, I’m excited to see more of it tomorrow before we have to head back to London. Work calls. 

It was a rhythm that they both got into, Harry chiming in here and there but letting Louis do most of the talking and if a family member went to far one way he would step into save Louis. Not that he needed saving - but Louis told him he hadn’t done this kind of thing in a while where he needed to talk about his personal life. Plus, his family was bat shit crazy and he didn’t need Louis to feel like they were going to eat him up alive. But now Louis was MIA and he was starting to worry. For Louis sake not even his own. 

“So how is work going my lovely nephew?” his aunt slurred to him as she leaned forward and grabbed onto his arm. 

Harry smiled awkwardly, “good. I have to.. I have to go and use the toilet,” he said not sure how to get away. Removing her hand from his Harry smiled and made his way into the kitchen. His boots clicked on the hardwood floors. 

“You look like you need this,” Poppy told her son as she handed him a cookie. Harry took it and laughed and thanked his mother. “Thank you for this love, it truly is a brilliant party,” she told him as she poured herself another glass of wine. “How is Louis doing?” 

Harry nodded as he ran his hands through his hair, “good. I think. I seemed to have lost him.” 

“He got a call from his daughter,” Poppy informed him as she grabbed his shoulder, “he was fine, she was head back home and was in the car and wanted to talk to him,” she said as Harry stood there and didn’t go to find him. “So, it’s just Louis, Magdalena and his sister Charlotte?” 

Harry nodded as he grabbed a carrot and took a bite of it not sure what his mother was getting at. 

“Well, I want you to know that they have an open invitation to holidays here like Christmas. His sister and all,” explained Poppy to her son as she tossed a few plates that were dirty in the bin. “Your father is currently making the attack area of the house into a suite for guests. You and Louis can stay up there, and then Charlotte can stay in the guest room. Maggie can stay up there or on a couch or even in the room with Asher.” 

Harry had always grown up with his mum and dad being supportive of him and his choices. They had seen him hit low with Tanner and now they were seeing him reach a new high with Louis. They had welcomed him with open arms and this just made it even more heart felt that they saw him, his daughter and sister as well. “I’m not sure to be honest,” he explained for they had yet to talk about the holidays. One step at a time Harry thought. “I think his friend Niall is going to Ireland this year to be with his family. I will,” Harry stopped as he placed a hand on his hip, “I will talk to Lou about it. Thanks mum,” he said giving her a hug.

“Well,” Poppy told him, “if you come for Christmas Eve, or Christmas even if you come for Boxing Day. We would love to have you here from London and to exchange gifts and just get to know Louis more,” she told her son. “I want him to know that he is family - I don’t want him to think that he can’t enjoy the holidays.” 

Harry nodded his head, “I will talk to him tonight about it,” he said to her again as he nervously pulled down his black dress shirt and took a deep breath in. “I haven’t. This is all new to me,” he admitted to her as he felt his heart racing and his palms began to sweat. “Sorry,” he said glancing down at his feet and shaking his head. “Well, enjoy the rest of your party and I’m going to compose myself somewhere that isn’t here,” he laughed, as he turned to leave the kitchen his mother pulled him back gently. 

She leaned over and kissed her son on the forehead. “He makes you happy darling, and that makes me happy.” 

“So you can worry less?” he asked raising his brow. Poppy laughed and shook her head. “Mum I’m 29 years old, you don’t need to worry about me anymore.” 

Harry’s mother smiled, she walked over and grabbed herself a water, “you see, with being a mum I always have the ability to worry about you and your sister. But what helps, is that I know how much Louis cares and loves you so I don’t have to worry as much. But I will always worry. It’s my job as a parent.” Giving him a wink she turned on her heels and headed back out into the livingroom where the party was taking place. Feeling his lips smiling Harry looked down at his shoes, tapping them together he took a deep breath in and went to find Louis to make sure that he was doing okay. 

Outside Louis took a seat on the step that lead up to the house, he set his beer down next to him and let the stillness that was outside settle down his anxiety and enjoyed hearing his daughter ramble on and on about her times with James and that she promised to do her homework Sunday but she needed to watch  _ Doctor Who  _ tonight. “I will, I won’t go to bed until I get it done,” she pleaded with him. “So can I stay up and watch  _ The Class _ as well?” Maggie asked as she tried to bargain with Louis. 

“Fine,” he said giving in, he wasn’t going to be there and he knew she was pass out before before the show even began. “Have fun with Aunt Charlie tonight,” Louis said to her as he heard Niall humming to a song in the car and James was talking to him. “I love you as well. We will facetime tomorrow love. I promise. Yes. Yes, I am having a fun. I promise love. Yes, be safe. Have fun, there is money for pizza or chinese food. Your welcome. I will talk to you tomorrow,” he said as he hung up his mobile. Tilting his head back he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. His chest felt lighter and that he could actually breathe. 

He was enjoying his time at the party, or part of him was, the other part of him wished that he had never left the hotel. While, as Harry said, most of his family was bat shit crazy. And his one cousin kept telling him that he was Harry’s friend and not boyfriend which annoyed and baffled him. The family friends were nice, and actually cared to get to know about Louis - only a few times did he feel that they were judging him when it came to his job but at this point in his life he was so use to it. It was nice to hear from his daughter to keep him grounded and remind him that he was doing this for someone that he loved and it was worth the stress and anxiety that he felt. 

_ Only a few more hours of this Louis and then you can go back to the hotel, shower and decompress from all the people and questions and people _ . He assured himself slipping his mobile back into his pocket and running his hands up and down his thighs as they began to sweat for some reason. He hated when he nerves acted but and he had been so good up until this point.  _ Don’t fuck me over now _ . He told his anxiety as he pushed himself up and stood up. Pulling his black jumper down not to shower off his muffin top created by his pants or the tattoos he had. His eyes closed behind his glasses as he counted to ten before he opened the front door and entered the house again. His semi worn black slide on vans stepped onto the hardwood he saw a small group of people were laughing. Harry’s sister and brother in law were off talking to family friends and his mum was talking with her brother. Shutting the door he ducked up the steps, he needed to use to toilet and figured that the ones up the stairs were better than the one on the first floor. He didn’t have the fear of running into anyone and talk to them. 

As his feet reached the second floor the wood floors turned into carpet and the walls were painted a dark blue with white trim. The wall was wall to wall light tan carpet. There was several doors that no doubt led to bedrooms, and a toilet. Making his way down the hallway Louis stopped and looked at the photos on the wall between two doors. They were photos of when Harry was born, sometime when he was a teenager and then the last one was when he graduated Uni. Next to him was a set of photos of Gemma the same age. Louis shook his head as he saw that he had braces on his teeth when he was younger. He knew that no one could have teeth that perfect without help. Turning around there was a small thin table in the hallway where a lamp sat on there, as well as some decorations and then lots of photos. 

Louis’s eyes looked over all the photos, he saw that there were ones of Harry and Gemma younger at the beach. Gemma on her wedding. Harry at a school functions where he looked like he was in a quiz bowl or something. He always knew that he was smart and a bit of a nerd inside of him. His hand reached over and grabbed a white frame, inside was a school photo of Maggie, it was small but it was one. 

“Harry gave that to us,” a voice came as Louis looked up and saw Carlton. “We asked him for a photo and he said that Maggie had given him that one of her and so he sent it to us with this one,” he said as he grabbed a grey wooden frame and it was one of Louis, Harry and Maggie when they went to the London Eye. “I hope that is okay?” 

Louis nodded as he set the photo frame down on the table again. 

“Needed an escape?” 

“Need to wee - use the loo,” he shook his head. “Sorry.” 

“Ta, you are all in good company son,” Carlton laughed. “It’s through that door right there,” he said as he pointed to the fourth door down. “How is it going?” 

“Good, I have answered the same question about a million times, but it’s all good,” Louis explained to him. “I’m not one to talk about myself a lot so it seems odd to be doing only that, but enough about me. How are you and Poppy enjoying the party?” he asked Carlton as he was glad he wasn’t the only one who needed a break from everyone. 

“It’s good. Could be less family but it is good,” he told him with a smile. “Between me and you,” he said as he grabbed another frame and it was a selfie that Harry took of them as they sat at his flat while Maggie was asleep and they had just finished watching a movie. “I haven’t seen my son this happy since he was about 18 years old, so whatever you are doing please keep it up.” 

Louis had been hearing that a lot, and while yes, Harry had told him about what happened with Tanner he never realized how bad it was. From Gemma talking to him, to even his mum and now his father - his heart broke that Harry had been put in so much pain. 

“It’s not my place to say things, or tell you about my sons personal life but he isn’t one to bring anyone home. Nor is he one to walk around and be so happy to introduce you and have you be part of the family. So, while I’m sure that my son has made it knowing that you are part of this family I want you hear it from me as well,” Carlton told him. “You, your daughter and your sister are part of our family. No matter what you need we are here for you.” 

Louis wasn’t sure what to say but he smiled as Carlton kept on speaking to him. He hadn’t felt this at home since his parents passed away. No matter how far he traveled or what he did to forget about that day nothing seemed to fit right, and at this moment the piece that he had been trying to fit and make a ‘family’ he just had to move to another part of the puzzle and it fit. 

“If you and Harry need to go away, or if your sister can’t watch Maggie, Poppy and I will be more than happy to come down and watch her. If you need a weekend she can stay here or we can stay in London. But don’t think that you can’t come to us for anything Louis.” 

Taking a deep breath in, Louis held back the tears and tried to ignore the lump in his throat as he tried to find the words to speak to Carlton. “Thank you so much Mr.”- 

“Carlton my son,” he told him. 

“Carlton. This means. It means the world to me and I don’t have words to be frank,” he laughed for that was all he could do not to burst out into tears. 

“No need to,” he patted his shoulder. “Take your loo break and get yourself another beer back in the kitchen.” 

“Ta,” Louis said feeling his face flush red at that comment as Carlton headed down the steps that lead into the kitchen and left his along standing in the hallway. “Good job Lou,” he told himself shaking his head as he opened the door to the loo. “Only you would tell your boyfriend’s father you needed to wee,” he said shutting the door and turning around to slowly bashing his head into it praying he would wake up from this terrible dream. “Fook. It’s not a dream,” he said after a few moments of hitting his head. Like he said, Louis went wee, washed his hands and then took his few moments to compose himself when it came to his talk with Carlton, and the entire day. “Smile, answer the questions and don’t get drunk,” Louis said to himself in the bathroom mirror before heading out and back into the wild. 

 

***

 

“It was lovely to meet you to,” Louis said not sure what aunt this was but he knew they wouldn't remember him in the morning that was for sure. It was just past 7 and the family members had already started there goodbye rounds and leaving. Louis was happy to see most of them go for they made he him on edge with every move he made around them. Glancing over at Harry he crossed his eyes and made a face as he covered his mouth and tried to say goodbye to his cousins without laughing. 

“Bye,” Harry said and shut the door. “Well the homophobic family members are gone, the drunk has a cabbie coming to get them in a few moments and we can start cleaning up,” Harry said sighing. “Parties are such hard work.” 

“Try having a child party. God, those are the worst,” Louis told him as he place his hand on the small of his back as they walked towards the kitchen to start the clean up. “LIttle children running around, and having to pray that they don’t ruin anything and on one kill themselves,” he explained as they walked into the kitchen with Gemma and Seb. “Last time that Maggie had one when Carly was alive it was the most tiring part of my life and it was only like three hours long,” he laughed as he began to clean up the plates and cups as Harry went on the sink and grabbed a few bin liners. 

“I can only imagine,” Harry told her. “Look what you have to look forward to,” he said as he rose his brow at his sister and smiled. 

“Yay. Us,” joked Gemma as she grabbed several containers out of the cabinet to put the leftover food in. “But Louis is an expert so we can just hire him.” 

“You can’t afford me,” he joked with her as he grabbed the bin liner and began to fill it with rubbish. “Oh, lord,” he said as he set the liner down and reached for his mobile. “Sorry,” he said looking confused as he saw that his sister wanted to facetime with him. Hitting the green circle he walked over to the steps, his eyes looking at the screen as he took a seat on the bottom steps that lead up to the second floor of the house. 

“Hey,” he said as his sister’s face popped up on the screen. Her short hair was pulled up in a bun, and she had on her clear framed glasses on, no doubt she had been sewing or planning on doing course work. “What is wrong? Did the flat burn down? Is Maggie sick. Did you get her a dog when I said no!?” he asked as a million questions left his mouth worried as his sister just sat there and looked at him. 

“There is no dog,” she told him as her voice shook a but. “We had an incident.” 

Louis’s entire body froze. 

“I called Niall, and he is almost back and she will be okay.” 

“Charlotte...” 

“She fell, she busted her lip and chin,” she said as tears fell from her eyes. “She is in the loo and Niall is almost here and I’m so sorry. God I’m so sorry Lou,” she said pushing her glasses up and wiping her eyes. “I love her and I won’t let this happen to her. I’m sorry.” 

“Is she okay?” 

Charlie nodded her head. 

“What happened?” 

“She went out to get the post and she said to me that she tripped. Or that is what she told me,” Charlie explained to her brother as she walked through the living room and down the hallway to the toilet. “I am so sorry Lou, I feel so bad.” 

“She is 7 almost 8 and this crap happens Charlie, I just want to make sure that she is okay,” he said as she stopped, “Charlie, it’s okay. I don’t blame you at all. I’m glad that she is there with you when this happened,” he said to her his voice was calm. “Take a deep breath. Everything will be okay.” 

She nodded as she opened up the bathroom door and he saw his daughter sitting on the tile floor, a towel up to her chin and her eyes red from crying. He saw the blood on her grey t-shirt and his heart broke a bit. “Hey your dad is here,” Charlie said as she handed the mobile to Maggie who took the mobile and set it down on the ground and looked down at her father. 

“Hey Maggs, what happened?” 

“I fewl.” 

“Huh?” Louis asked her as she slowly removed her towel and he saw how bad her lips was. It was split down the middle and her entire bottom lip was swollen to twice the size it should be. Her chin was all scuffed up, while from what he could see it didn’t look like she needed stitches but Niall would be the judge of that. He also saw that her knees were beaten up as well. 

“I fell.” 

“How?” he asked her as Maggie shrugged as he heard the doorbell ring and he knew that it was Niall. “Maggs…..” he said as he rose his brow at his daughter as she just looked at her father. As much as he wished that he could break her with a stern look she was just as good at looking at him the same way. Her gaze looked up as Niall came into the bathroom, he saw his medical bag drop to the ground as he knelt down and looked at Maggie. “Thanks Nialler,” Louis told him as he turned around and smiled at him. 

“Let me see,” Niall told Maggie. “Why don’t you sit up here,” he said as she got up and sat on the edge of the bathtub. “How is Cheshire Lou?” 

“Good,” he said to him. “How does it look?” 

“Well, not teeth are chipped,” he said as he wiggled the teeth and Maggie winced. “I feel that a few will be falling out before they need be, but thankfully they are all baby teeth so you are okay there,” he said to Louis as he reached behind him and grabbed his bag. “What happened?” 

“She won’t tell me,” Louis said over his daughter as she rolled her eyes. “The sass better stop soon or I will come home.” 

Maggie’s eyes grew wide and she sat up straight. “No, please. No.” 

“Then,” Louis told her as he switched hands which he held the phone in, “tell me what happened for real. I won’t be upset, I just want to know how you got so banged up.” 

Maggie took a deep breath in and let it out. “I was going out to the post when a car pulled up and the window unrolled and it was Grandma.” 

Louis froze and felt as if he was going to vomit. Niall tensed up as his hands dropped to her shoulders and Charlie gasped.  _ No. No. No _ . He thought as his brain began to kick into overdrive to figure this all out. 

Maggie dropped her head, her hair fell in her face as her voice shook as if she was about to start crying again. “She called me over and I took off running, and I wasn’t paying attention to the loose brick and tripped. I heard the car door open and then I got up and ran inside and locked the door.” 

Niall turned to the phone and made sure that Louis was okay. Louis wasn’t sure what to do, he took a deep breath in, pushing his glasses up on his head he ran his hands over his eyes as his mind was going a million miles an hour and his chest felt as if it was going to bust. 

“I don’t know what happened I just took off running. I’m sorry dad,” Maggie told him as Niall began to give her a full run down and made sure she didn’t go into shock and fall or pass out. “When I see her I get this weird feeling over me and I don’t like it at all.”  

Louis shook his head, “you have nothing to be sorry about,” he said, “neither does Charlie,” he added as he knew that his sister was beating herself up even more now that she found out why she fell. “I get the same feeling when she is around,” Louis assured her for he did. He watched as Niall made sure that her eyes moved, he checked her back, elbows, and the rest of her body for cuts and possible bruises. “How bad is it Nialler?” 

“Well,” he said as he took a seat on the tile floor and looked over at the mobile, “the lip will take time to heal and I will clean out the chin and then bandage it up. You know the drill and I’m sure Charlie does,” Niall told him as he reached in his bag. “I also have some light pain meds for it’s going to hurt in the morning.” 

Louis nodded. 

“Let me clean this out, and I will have your dad talk to your Aunt.” 

Maggie nodded her head as Niall grabbed the mobile and handed it to Charlie. She smiled at her brother as she left the bathroom and headed out into the kitchen. “She never told me. I’m so sorry.” 

Louis shook his head. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “I just. I don’t know what to do.” 

“Don’t come home,” she told him as she walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on. “I would feel like shit - and Maggie would feel just as bad,” she told him as she set her mobile down and grabbed a few cups down and the tea. Louis noticed she was wearing one of there father’s old jumpers with leggings. “All she was talking about how happy she was that you went with Mr. Harry and that you are happy again like you were when Carly was alive,” she explained setting three cups down and then climbing on the counter to get to the hot cocoa and tea. “I already called your lawyer and he is aware of this and made note of it.” 

He nodded his head. “Are you sure.” 

“Yes, oh god Lou don’t let this…” Charlie turned and looked down at the camera. “You are happy and seeing that brother I grew up with come back into my life with is spirit and smile helps me realize that life is going to be okay - and just because the world fucked us up doesn’t me we can’t come back and tell it to fuck off. I don’t want this,” she said as he motioned to where Maggie was, “to stop that,” he pointed to the camera as Louis looked at her and couldn’t help but smile. “I know that you want to - and for a long time it was just Maggie that you had to worry about. But there is Harry now, and while Maggie is always first, she is okay here. I have her, and we can plan out what to do the next day or so. But be there, fully for Harry and don’t shut down and turn inwards. Tell him. He deserves to know and will be there for you like I am.” 

Louis hated when his sister was right. “You suck when you are right,” he laughed but his heart still felt heavy and wrong for wanting to stay with Harry and not rush home to his daughter. Looking up from the conversation as Charlie got off the counter he watched as Harry picked up the rubbish with Gemma, his smile seemed to lighten up the room, he stood there, his shirt half tucked in with his dark grey and black printed cardigan and skinny trousers and boots on as charming as could be, so unaware of the hell that was going on in Louis right now and the war he had been able to run from for so long involving Carly’s parents. Before he could say anything he heard Maggie in the background and soon saw Niall standing by the counter. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better about being there alone tonight and tomorrow?” 

Niall held his hand up to Charlotte as he turned to Louis, “I called my brother and he is going to take a spin by on his way home now and when he leaves I will do,” he told Louis with a smile as he grabbed a cuppa and took a sip. “And don’t say no - for I told you that I was here for you and Maggs and Charlie.” 

“Stop the sappy  _ Lifetime Movie _ speech,” Louis told him as he rolled his eyes at him. “But thank you Niall, that means a lot to me,” he said looking up as he noticed Harry was walking towards him. Niall picked up the mobile and spun it around as Charlie walked into the kitchen, she had taken off her other clothes and was in her  _ Doctor Who  _ jimjams with her plush Dalek in her hand. “What pain meds are you going to give her? She is-” 

Niall held up his finger as he pulled out his own mobile, unlocking it his hands scrolled through a note as soon as he found it he held it up and Louis could see that it was a list of meds that Maggie was on, ones that she was allergic to, ones that would cause her heart to stop if she took them with her other meds, and a list of ones that were okay for her to take in normal doses. “I told you, I am here for you and Maggie and have it all under control,” he promised as he locked his mobile. “But, in all honestly some Advil and then I will leave a stronger dose of them for her if she needs them per your choice and Charlie’s.” 

He handed the meds over to Charlotte, “I would also watch and make sure she doesn’t go into shock. If she hasn’t by now we should be okay, but wait and have her stay up till after ten,” he said as she nodded. “Other than that, the cuts will heals, and everything will be okay in it’s time.” 

Louis knew this to be more than true, he looked up as Harry pointed to his phone and he mouthed ‘Maggie’ to him. He pushed Louis over to the side of the step and took a seat next to him, his bin liner still in his hand as he looked down to see that it was Charlie on the mobile. “Do you have a blender?” she asked her brother as she got up and walked to the freezer to get ice cream. 

“I’m not that hungry Aunt Charlie,” she told her. “Can I just watch some telly?” she asked as she waved to her father. 

“Somewhere,” he said replying to Charlie’s comment. “Hey Maggs, you wanna say hi to Hazza?” 

Her face lit up as she walked over to Niall and took the mobile from him, Louis handed his to Harry as he looked down he tried not to act shocked when he saw her face.  “Hi Mr. Harry.” 

“How has your time been?” He asked her with a smile. 

“Good,” she told him with a smile. “How is your time?” 

Harry gave her a thumbs up. “It’s been a lot of fun, we are cleaning up now and then tomorrow I’m going to show your dad around the town I grew up in, get you a postcard and maybe some other treats before we come back,” he assured her. “What are your plans tomorrow with your Aunt?” 

Maggie shrugged her shoulder. “Breakfast. Homework, and then I’m not sure. Aunt Charlie’s friend might come over for lunch,” she explained as she turned and looked at Harry, “make sure that my dad has fun tomorrow - even if he doesn’t want to.”  

Louis leaned over and looked into his mobile, “I am right here you know,” he joked with her as she rolled her eyes at her father. “Stop that.” 

“She learned from the best,” Harry said as he looked and smiled at Louis who rolled his eyes. “Ah, see!” he said as he pointed to Louis and he swatted his hand away. 

“I hate you both,” he laughed. “Please call if you need anything,” he said to his daughter but it was directed to his sister. Charlie rose her cup in the air and Niall did the same. “Order some Nandos and give it to Niall for his drive to pick up James from his party.” 

“You know the way to my heart mate,” laughed Niall taking a sip of his tea. “Don’t worry about anything here - we have it all taken care of on this end. Just have fun,” he said as Louis rolled his eyes and Harry nudged him. 

Louis’s felt his face flush red, he hated feeling like a child, but at the same time it was so refreshing to him to feel this way again, the constant butterflies in his stomach, the giddy feeling in his chest whenever he saw Harry, or when he would kiss him. “I will chat with you lot later,” he said as then looked over at his daughter who was sitting at the table enjoying some ice cream. “Make sure the coursework is done, I know the teacher pretty well and will rat her out,” he joked.

“Dad.” Maggie cried as her voice got higher as she was embarrassed by him. 

“Love you.” 

“Love you more,” she said back as Louis hung up the call and set his phone screen down in his lap and looked at Harry. He knew that he was going to ask about her face - he would ask if he was in his shoes. “She tripped,” he said clearing his throat and turning to Harry. “But she is going to be okay, just a few bumps and bruises but nothing to bad,” he said taking a deep breath as he drummed his knees. He grabbed his mobile, stood up and turned to Harry, “let’s finish up cleaning.”

Harry looked at Louis confused as he made his way back to help finish cleaning up. He knew that something was off but he wasn’t going to push it in front of people that Louis didn’t know for he knew that he would shut down and it would make it worse. Standing up from the steps and walked back into help cleaning up. He watched as Louis’s did his work in relative silence. His jaw clenched and his eyes were focused on what was going on and nothing else around him. He would reply if someone asked him something - but he kept to himself most of the time. As soon as everything was cleaned up, they said goodnight to the remaining guests, and bid there farewells to Poppy and Carlton saying they would be back in the late morning, early afternoon. Gemma and Seb walked them to the door to see them off. Louis gave her a hug and shook Seb’s hand and thanked them for everything - along with thanking Asher for being a scapegoat when he needed it during the party. Before they could ask him anymore he was already headed to the car, his mobile out his hand and a look of worry on his face. 

Gemma leaned up against the doorframe and watched Louis walk to the car, “is he okay?”

“Not sure,” Harry admitted to his sister as he gave her a hug, his mind was now on Louis and what was troubling him so. “Have a good night and we will see you in the morning,” he told his mum as he headed out and saw Louis was sitting in the car, his nose was in his mobile and he was worried that there was something more going on with Maggie than what he told him. His shoes clicked as he made it over to the car and got in. “Everything okay?” He asked sitting down in the driver's seat and shutting the door. Louis nodded his head and mumbled something to him. Accepting that he put the car into gear and headed back to the hotel. 

The ride was relatively silent. The radio filled the gaps of silence between Louis and Harry. Louis has his face buried in his mobile, his eyes seemed to be moving back and forth, his face was sullen. As they drove Harry tried to find the words to speak to Louis, to ask him what was going on, to see what he could do to help, to just understand what was going on. He didn’t want to push him and have him shut down even more than he was at this moment. As soon as the car pulled into the car park of the hotel Louis was practically out of the car before he could even put it in park.  He opened his mouth but stopped as Louis sat back and wted for the car to turn off. Pushing the door open he quickly got out of the car, slipped his mobile into his jacket pocket and let out a sigh as the fog from his breath filled the air around him. 

“Babe, are you sure that everything is okay?” Harry asked Louis as he got out of the car. “You seem just, lost.” Locking the car he made his way over to him. Louis nodded, taking his hand they walked into the hotel in silence and made it to their room. Before he could open his mouth, Louis opened the door and made his way in. His feet moved over to closet where he grabbed a few things out of the closet before toeing off her shoes, his care feet walking over to the bathroom, his pajamas hung from his hands as he paused in the door frame. His back hunched, he took a deep breath in and spoke. 

“Maggie's grandparents are threatening to take her away from me,” the words left his mouth and he felt the heavy weight that was crushing his chest leave. He dropped his clothes as he leaned against the door frame and slid down to sit on the floor. “I didn't run away from this but I didn't have to deal with it,” he said as he took a deep breath in, telling himself not to cry. Not to fall apart in front of Harry. He had to keep it together for his sake and his sake only. “They have been trying to take Maggie from me since Carly passed. They told me she needs an actual home to grow up in, and better role models. This is coming from the woman who told me Maggie doesn't have HCM and I made the condition up and if I pray enough Jesus was heal her.” 

As Louis spoke Harry stood there and listened - never would he thought this is what Louis was keeping. He never let on that he had this heavy burden weighing him down and this constant fear of losing his daughter. His stomach turned as he felt guilty for asking him to come to Cheshire this weekend, and all the other times he had been selfish and just wanted time with Louis. 

Swallowing back tears Louis spoke, his voice shook a bit as he did so, “I love my daughter and I know that there is no reason for her to be taken from me, but that fear.” That time voice in your goddamn head,” he said tapping his temple. “The voice that makes you think that working that extra 4 hours might make a judge think you are unfit. Or that you are late to a parent teacher meeting and you failed at everything all at once, shaking his head Louis tilted his head back and laughed. “I don't know what I'm doing 99.9% of the time. I just know that I'm the luckiest fooker in all the word, that is what keeps me going but it's hard. I shut down. I always have.”

Gathering his thoughts Harry walked over and took a seat across from Louis. Crossing his legs like a pretzel he smiled at him. 

“I told myself to stop but I've been. It's been me and Maggs and Charlie for some time now and I'm sorry.” 

“Is Maggie okay?”

Louis both nodded and shook his head no. “She fell when she tripped on a loose paver when my grandmother tried to kidnap her.”

Harry’s eyes grew wide. “WHAT?!” His voice rose as he was scared for Maggie as of now. 

“Niall’s brother is a detective inspector and he made note,” explained Louis as he wanted to let the panic leave Harry. “He went over and talked to her and got her statement why she was parked in front of the flat and has an officer driving by every hour,” Louis explained. “Hence why I've been glued to my damn mobile.”

“We can-” Harry said but was cut off. 

Louis held up his hand and shook his head before Harry could even let the words leave his mouth. “Maggie would feel guilty, and Charlie would feel that I don't trust her with her niece,” Louis explained as he reached over and grabbed Harry’s hands. “Plus I would feel like a proper arse for taking away from your holiday with me.”

“What are you going to do?”

Louis kissed his hand and then leaned back against the chipped painted door frame. “My lawyer knows, he is coming over Monday to get a statement from Maggie - and will be documenting this if they want to go to court.”

“Whatever happens you know I'm here and will always be here right?” Harry promised him. Louis nodded, he scooted his body closer to Harry, cupping his face he kissed his lips gently. “I love you Louis and this isn't a battle you need to fight alone. You have a family with me, my mum, dad and sister.” 

Louis nodded as he pressed his forehead against Harry’s. “I know and I feel like an arse.”

“They will understand you git,” laughed Harry. “Do you feel better after telling someone about it?” 

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“I am going to shower,” he said to him as he stood up, reaching down Harry took his hand, he pulled him up off the ground he kissed him on the nose. “I love you so much and I had an amazing time today.” 

Harry wrapped his arms around Louis’s neck and kissed him again. “My mum and dad loved you,” Harry told him with a smile. “But, go shower, I’m going to get changed and see what food there is for us to order and eat.” 

“Chips,” Louis told him as he snapped his fingers and pointed at him as he walked into the bathroom to shower. Harry heard the water turn on as he toed off his shoes, bending down he picked them up and set them in the bottom of the closet. Shrugging off his cardigan he hung it up and then began to unbutton his shirt and hung that up as well. He didn’t realize how tired he was as he grabbed his pajama shirt and track pants. Once his trousers were folded he headed over to the phone that was by the bed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed he pulled out the menu for room service and looked it over. 

“Chips for Louis,” he said to himself as his pointer finger moved down the page. “More chips for me,” he added. “Oh, yes to the lemon cake slice, chocolate moose,” he said. “Eh, screw it, all the deserts,” he laughed as Louis sang to himself while he was in the shower. Picking up the hotel phone he pressed 0 and was connected with room service. “His, yes, I would like to order four orders of chips and one of each desert. Yes. Thank you,” he said hanging up the phone and setting the menu down and laying down on the bed. “God I’m exhausted,” he said to himself as he closed his eyes, pressing the palms of his hand on his closed eyes he let out a sign. He was happy with the day, he was upset that he wasn’t able to help Louis more than he did. 

His body was beginning to drift to sleep when he heard a mobile ringing. Sitting up he realized that it wasn’t his mobile but it was Louis’s. Standing up from the bed his eyes scanned the room and saw that his mobile was sitting in his jacket pocket which was laying on the chair. Making his way over he pulled it out and before even looking at who it was he answered it. “Hello.” 

“Mr. Harry?” 

“Hello Magdalena,” Harry told her as he felt himself smiling as he heard that she sounded okay. “Is everything okay?

“Yes. Are you and dad coming home?” she asked worried. 

“No,” Harry promised her as he sat down in the chair and pulled his legs up to his chest. “We are going to come home tomorrow in the afternoon after we have lunch with my family,” he assured her. 

“You okay?” 

“Yes,” Harry promised her. 

“I don’t want her to come home. I don’t want him to think that I can’t be okay with him not around. I don’t want to ruin this,” she said her words coming out faster than Harry could understand. Maggie took a deep breath in and let out a sigh, “Was the party okay?” 

Harry nodded, “yes, it was a lot of fun and your dad did good. He ate food, as well as he has has taken his medication and I am going to make sure that he takes more tonight,” he assured her for he knew that she was worried about him. 

“Good, thank you Mr. Harry,” she told him. “Did your mum and dad have fun?” 

“Yep. They look forward to meeting you the next time we come and visit,” explained Harry. 

“We are going back?” 

“One day, once we work it out with your father, if that is okay with you?” Harry asked her as Louis belted a song that Harry was sure he was making it up at this point, and his heart faced at how adorable he was. “How is your face?” 

“Okay.” 

“Maggs,” Harry told her. “Hey, don’t. Your dad told me about what is going on, so I’m going to ask you again, how is your face?” 

She let out a sigh, “It hurts a lot. But I am okay. Is my dad okay?” 

“Yes,” Harry told her. “What are you going to be doing with your Aunt tomorrow?” 

“She is making me a new costume, Jyn. Also! She said that she can make new costumes for The Nativity play for us,” she said really excited. “She is really good, and it will be nice to have updated ones.” 

“I will have to talk to her, are you going to sign up for a part?” 

“Student director?” 

Harry laughed, “Are you sure? You don’t want to be a wiseman or a sheep?” 

He could hear Maggie shaking her head no. “No thank you.” 

“Okay, well I will put you down for that,” he promised her as he heard the water shut off. “Do you want me to have your father call you back?” 

“No,” Maggie told Harry. “I just wanted to make sure that you were staying.” 

“We are, and I will have your dad call you tomorrow?” 

“Okay,” she said and then paused, “hold on Aunt Charlie has something to say to you,” Maggie said. “Night Mr. Harry. Love you!” 

Harry felt his heart beat faster and a lump in his throat for. “Love you to darling,” he added as he heard her hand the phone over to Charlotte and tell her that she was only going to pause Doctor Who for a few moments before she started without her. “Hey Charlotte,” Harry said. 

“Hello,” she said as he heard her walking up some steps. “Is Lou alright? I was worried that he would so this thing where he compresses everything and then shuts down. He did it when Carly died and he did it even more when my mum and dad died - hell he won’t even go back to our old house that he owns.” 

This all was news to Harry, running his hands through his hair shook his head, “he did at the party but it was more so he didn’t make it a ‘Louis Show’ which he never does but he is weird and would think that he would.” 

Charlie scoffed as the bathroom door opened and Louis walked out, his grey track pants sat right at his hips, his tattoos were visible, his hair semi dry was brushed back and his glasses were on his face as he walked out and looked at Harry confused why he was on his mobile. “But you both are staying, right?” 

“Correct,” Harry promised her. “We have room service coming, and then maybe a movie or something and then we have a day filled with stuff tomorrow before we head back to London around 8ish….” he explained as Louis walked over to the closet, he grabbed his duffle, tossing his clothes in he then dropped the bag and kicked it back into the bottom of the closet. “If you need anything please don’t hesitate to call.” 

“I know. Have fun, and don’t worry about us okay.” 

“See you tomorrow.” 

“Bye,” she said hanging up the mobile as did Harry. 

“Maggie called,” he explained as he held up a hand, “she wanted to know if we were coming home and started to plead with me that we had to stay,” explained Harry as Louis walked over, he tapped his knees, as he laid his legs down and as soon as they touched the floor Louis crawled into his lap, his legs hung over the side of the chair as his back pressed up against the other armrest. “She really wants you to have a weekend that you can forget about that stuff.” 

“That is Maggs,” he said as he rested his wet head on his shoulders. “Your mum and my mum would have been best friends,” Louis told Harry as he laced his hand with Harry’s and gave it a kiss. “They would have been together in the kitchen talking and drinking wine and making comments about the people that came and how they wish they would leave.” Harry laughed as he thought about it. “My dad would have been quiet, observed everything and when the time was right he would say something and leave everyone speechless and walk away like the class act he was.” 

“Sounds like something your smart arse would do,” Harry joked with him as he looked down at Louis and for once since meeting the man his walls were down. “Your sister asked me if you compressed when happened and shut down.” 

Rolling his eyes Louis tilted his head and looked up at Harry. “She worries too much.” 

“So do you,” he pointed out to him. “You never told me your parents left you there house.” 

“Yep.” 

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Harry said as he could sense that Louis wasn’t too keen on the topic. “I was just - Charlotte mentioned something…” 

“It’s a house,” Louis said and then stopped himself. “I knew I would end up with it, I just didn’t think it was going to be this soon. It’s a nice house, it’s empty now. We put the stuff that we kept in storage for safekeeping. I want to move back there one day, fix it up, change a few things like the kitchen, the master bedroom and other stuff around to make it a home for my family. Have a separate area over the garage for Charlie to come and go if she needs the next few years. I just don’t have time,” he went on to explain to him as he looked up at Harry and kissed his jaw line. “Maggie and I drive out there once a month to see her mum, and grandparents. You should come next time.” 

“Yeah?” 

Louis shook his head, “you can see a creepy cemetery and then we can take a look at the house. I always check it when I go back to Donnie to make sure that everything is working okay and no one broke in.” 

“I would like that, a lot.” 

Louis smiled and kissed him once more. “I’m not a bad father for staying am I?” he asked as he took his free hand and moved it over Harry’s chest over his shirt. “When I was in the shower part of me felt bad.” 

“No, she was so upset at the thought of you coming home, I think that would make you a bad father,” he joked as he kissed him on his nose gently. “So we are going to stay,” he said as he kissed his lips. “You know my favorite thing to do it kiss you he said as Louis moved his body ever so slightly so he was sitting in a way he could wrap his arms around his neck. “Your lips always taste of this weird mixture of salt, and vanilla.” 

“Sexy,” he purred as Harry poked him. “Really?” he laughed kissing Harry as he ran his hands through his hair. “You always smell of fresh clothes.” 

“Is that a good thing?” 

“Yes,” he said as he pulled away and looked at Harry. “Your lips are always so soft and the your face,” he said as he took his left hand and cupped it. “God, it’s so chiseled it’s like I’m looking at a sculpture.” 

“You can’t flirt,” laughed Harry as he shook his head. “Did George Lucas write that for you?” 

“Fuck you!” Louis said as he flicked his shoulder before laying his head on Harry’s chest. “I’m scared.” Harry paused and counted to 20 in his head before he spoke. As he counter Louis took a deep breath in, closing his eyes tight he pushed back the trepidation he had when it came to telling Harry about Maggie’s crazy grandparents. “I’ve never said those words out loud. I never - I don’t want Maggie to be scared so I don’t say it. But I am. I am honestly scared of it all.” 

Harry kissed the top of his head. “I’m here. Always.” 

“I know - it’s weird to have that again,” he stopped and looked up. “When I shut down just give me time and I will get to the mental state where I can talk about it,” he promised him as Harry kissed him on his nose and then on his lips. “God, I love you so much Harold,” he said breathlessly as he kissed Harry’s neck gently a few times, his lips lingering a bit longer than he should but he felt as if he was a kid and didn’t mind about giving him a few hickey’s. Harry’s hand rested on Louis’s waist as he tilted his head back and let out a slow moan as he tried to adjust himself but Louis felt Harry getting hard under him. “Oh yeah Hazza?” 

“Yeah, you do that to me all the time,” he whispered back to him as Louis wiggled a bit and Harry poked him in his side. “Why don’t we move some place comfy?” 

Louis laughed as he kissed Harry on his jawline one last time. “And you think I’m bad at flirting.” 

Harry narrowed his eyes at Louis as he slid off his lap and skipped over to the bed, flopping down, he placed his hand on his hip, lowered his voice and arched a brow, “paint me like one of your french girls.” 

“I will do more than that,” he said as he jumped on the bed pinning Louis down on the bed, as he looked down at him he couldn’t help but smile at this amazing man that he was with. “Not to be that person but -” 

“Niall gave us some goodies.” 

“That makes more sense,” he said laughing. “I saw them whilst putting your clothes away and was happy - but it makes sense now with all the extra stuff.” 

Louis covered his face. 

“It’s cute.” 

“God, he is going to ruin this and he isn’t even here,” Louis said. Harry leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips. “I know we aren’t kids but I don’t want anything to happen out of press-” he stopped as Harry pressed his finger on his lips. 

“Do you want to?” Harry asked him as his hair fell in his face. 

Louis nodded his head. 

“Okay, so do I,” he confirmed with him. “Now, give me a second before I do more than paint you like a French girl.” 

Sitting up Louis kissed Harry’s ear, sucking on his lobe and nibbling on it for a moment, “hurry,” his voice was deep and raspy sending a shiver down Harry’s back as he used all the energy he had to push himself off the bed, his legs gave out as he reached the closet and grabbed Louis’s bag. As his hands grabbed the bag from tesco he ripped open the box of condoms, half the box went flying on the ground as he grabbed the lube before running back to the bed. “Easy there killer.” 

“I can’t help it, I feel like a kid right now,” Harry told him as he looked at Louis. “I love you Louis Tomlinson with all my heart.” 

“I love you with all of mine Harold Styles,” he said back kissing him. 

“My name isn’t Harold.” 

“It is now,” he said kissing him once more before he rolled him over on his back and ran his hands up under his shirt. 

 

***

 

Louis put the spoon full of ice cream in his mouth as he sat next to Harry on the bench outside the ice cream shop. He wasn’t sure why he was eating this for they had just eaten a whole brunch at his parents house, and then gone to walk around so Harry could show off the town. They saw the bakery where he failed his first job interview for he didn’t know how to bake. They roamed for over an hour in a record store where Louis ended up with several vinyls. They got Maggie her postcard, and an extra one as well. The car was packed with their suitcases, an entire bag of food courtesy of Poppy and Carlton. “Good ice cream,” he said as he looked at Harry who took a bite of his cone. “It’s cold but good.” 

Harry laughed as he rested his head on his shoulder, “Thank you for coming this weekend,” he said to him. “I know that it wasn’t easy with all that is going on with Maggie and her crazy grandparents and I love you so much for staying.” 

Louis set his cup of ice cream down in his lap and patted Harry on his knee, “I love you and I wasn’t going to leave,” he said to him. “Plus, I think that I needed this - I haven’t been able to do something like this for me in seven years.” 

“Well,” he said as he finished off his cone. “I’m glad that you liked this. I don’t really want to go home.” 

“Me either,” Louis added with a smile, “but I’m going to be happy to see Maggie.” 

“Same.” 

Picking up his ice cream Louis looked down at his ice cream as his stomach turned a few times, “Before Christmas, would you be able to schedule us in to go to Doncaster with me and Maggie?” He asked him. “We would do a weekend and I would love to show you the house I grew up in, and show you my ideas for it.” 

Sitting up Harry looked over at Louis, “I would like that a lot.” 

“And visit Carly and my parent’s graves…”

“I would be honored to go with you there as well,” Harry told him as he felt a lump in his throat. “Thank you Lou.” 

He cupped his face and leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. His hands were cold and he was done with eating his ice creams as he got a shiver down his spine. “No, thank you for everything,” he said to him. “But, I’m freezing my balls off so can we get back into the car?” 

Harry laughed as he stood up, he grabbed his ice cream and walked over to the bin and tossed it out for him. “I agree, plus I think Maggie will be happy that you are home before she has to go to bed, and I still need to figure out my car,” Harry told him as he took Louis’s hand and pulled him up off the bench and they walked to Louis’s car. 

“Oh, Niall had his brother in law come and take a look at it,” explained Louis as they walked. “He said it was the battery for your car is old as fook. So he replaced it and then told me to tell you to get a new car.” 

“First off, thank you for that. Second off, I will when I have money to get a car and at this point I don’t,” he explained to Louis. “I’ve been saving up for a house for I know sooner than later Liam and Jo will move in together and get married and I want to make sure that I have money to afford.” 

“Well, you need a new car,” Louis told him with a smirk as Harry shook his head. “If you ever need my car or anything please let me know.” 

“I shall,” Harry assured him as he unlocked the car and they both got in. “You didn’t need to call and have my car fixed.” 

“I did,” he said, “I love you but I don’t think I would be able to have you sleepover for I would want to just shag you all night and I would feel weird with Maggie around.” 

Harry’s face flushed red and shook his head, “you are a man child, you do know this right?” Harry asked him as he turned towards Louis who had his feet up on the dash and smiled at him like a kid who had just been caught red handed trying to sneak biscuits before dinner. “Let’s get you home before you do something that you and I will both regret.” 

Louis furrowed his brow at him as Harry turned the engine over and they went on there way from Cheshire back to good old London Town. As they drove Louis talked a bit about Doncaster and a few things they could do whilst out there, and that he hadn’t told Maggie about fixing up the house and to keep that hush hush. Harry discussed the upcoming Nativity play that he was running for there grade and what he was planning on doing, and begging him to spend his day off helping to paint and build sets, in exchange for a home cooked dinner and movies. “Your sister already said she would make the costumes so it would look shit on you if you didn’t help,” joked Harry as Louis stuck up his middle finger at him as he rested his head against the window. “Where did this traffic come from?” Harry asked as he slowed the car down and came to a stop. They were about forty minutes out of Cheshire at this point. “Well, we have food.” 

Louis’s nose was in his mobile, “there was a bad accident up ahead. They have stopped all traffic until they clear the wreck,” dropping his mobile to his lap he closed his eyes. “I would turn off the car and save petrol for we aren’t going anywhere for a while.”d

Both men sat up and looked out just to see red break lights of row after row of cars in front of them. “So, want to snog?” Louis asked with a smile on his face and leaned towards Harry.

 

***

 

Harry pulled up to Louis’s flat just after 11 pm. Both men felt exhausted and wanted more more than to shower and sleep. “I got my stuff,” Louis told him and then stopped. “Wait this is my car.” 

“Someone is still asleep from there nap in the car,” Harry laughed getting out of the car and buttoned up his jacket as he walked around to the boot. “Is Maggs still up?” 

Louis turned and looked up at the front window, “yep,” he told him as he saw the blinds move. “Give it 30 seconds,” he told him getting out of the car and headed over to the boot to get his bags, his back throbbed but he grabbed his garment bag and duffle from the boot as Harry grabbed his small rolling suitcase and slung his leather work bag over his shoulder. As soon as the boot shut the front door opened and Maggie came running out, her Doctor Who pajamas on, and her hair pulled back in two braids. 

“Dad!” she called out. Louis set his bags down and bent down as his daughter ran right into his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood up and spun her around. “I missed you! How was your trip? Did you have fun? Was he good Mr. Harry? Did he take his medicine?” She asked as she looked over at Harry as he smiled and tapped her nose. “Mr. Dylan came over and we played Cluedo and I won,” she explained, “and I did my school work. Promise.” 

“I’m sure that you did,” Louis laughed as he kissed her on the temple of her head. “Now,” he set her down with a huff, “why don’t you head on in and we will be in right behind you. You need to be in sleep - you have school in the morning.” 

“Fine,” she said and paused, “is Mr. Harry coming in?” 

“Yes,” Harry said, “but it will only be for a bit, I need to get home and sleep as well,” he explained to her as he pulled his ca keys out of his bag. “Let me put my bags away and I will be right in.” 

“Good,” Maggie said as she grabbed her father's duffle, and with both hands she picked it up and ran her Tom covered feet back into the flat. Louis grabbed his garment bag and headed behind his crazy daughter into the flat. She was halfway up the steps by the time he made it into the flat. He head the book of Harry's trunk close and his feet clicking on the pavement as he walked towards the flat. 

“Sorry, I’m sure that you want to go home,” Louis told Harry as he walked into the flat, he just smiled and shut the door. 

“It’s fine,” he assured him as he walked up the steps and Louis followed behind him. “I need to wee anyway.” 

Louis slowly made his way up the steps, his back was shooting pain up his spine as well as down his legs. He was going to have to call and get it looked at sooner than he wanted to. As he rounded the corner he saw the last few steps and his daughter was standing there looking at him. “Go wash your feet and get into bed missy,” he told her as she took off running. As soon as his foot landed on the top step Charlie ran out and gave her brother a hug and he winced. “Hey you,” he said trying hard to hide his pain but failing as Charlie placed her hands on his shoulders, she leaned back and looked at him.  

“Go sit down and take the stronger meds,” she said as she took his bag from his hand and ushered him into the flat. “Now, I got this,” she said walking through the kitchen and up to his bedroom, picking up his duffle before heading up the small flight of steps. Before bothering with his meds Louis turned and headed right into Maggie’s bedroom. He was pleased to see as he walked through the doorway that she was in bed, her covers pulled up to her chin, and her stuffed Dalek next to her.  

“Did Aunt Charlie let you stay up?” he asked walking over to her bed and taking a seat at the edge of it. Maggie nodded and smiled at her father. “Well, now it’s time to get to sleep. You still have to be at school in the morning, and I have to work.” Maggie’s head dropped. Leaning over, Louis took his hand and lifted her head up. “Hey, it’s okay,” he promised her. “I have a short shift tomorrow and then I work mornings and only one overnight,” he told her. “I will be home no later than 8.” 

“Promise?” 

Louis stuck out his pinky finger, “promise love,” he said as she wrapped hers around her father's and shook on it. “Now,” he said as he stood up and kissed her head, “close your eyes and get some sleep. I will let you sleep in a bit later and have breakfast ready.”

Yawning, Maggie nodded her head and rubbed her eyes. “Where is Mr. Harry?” 

“Here,” he said as he stood in the doorway and pushed his hair out of his face as it flopped to one side. “Your father is right, you need to get some sleep.” 

“I know,” she said sounding sad. “Are you staying the night?” 

Harry shook his head no as he took a seat next to Louis on the bed, “No, I have to get some stuff done before I get up and get ready for school as well,” he said with a smile. “But, I was thinking that when your dad has his overnight I can come here with you after school and we can make dinner.” 

Maggie’s face lit up with a smile, “yes! Oh please dad!” 

“We can make that work,” he said as he looked over at Harry. “Now, you go to bed,” he said as he kissed her once more. “I love you munchkin.” 

“I love you to day,” she said kissing him on his nose. “Night Mr. Harry, I love you as well, thank you for for taking my dad to Cheshire this weekend,” she told him as Harry stood up, he walked over and did all he could to compose himself as he kissed her on the forehead as she gave him a hug. “Night.” 

“Good night,” both men said as they walked out of the room. Louis turned off the light and shut his daughter’s bedroom door before turning to Harry. “I don’t want to keep you,” he said as he saw the bags under his eyes and knew that he wanted nothing more than to just to sleep right now. “I will see you in a few days,” he said as he kissed him on the nose. “Thank you for stepping in to help with Maggie.” 

“It will give Charlie a break - and I needed to go over Nativity costumes with her anyway,” he laughed kissing his nose. “Thank you for this weekend.” 

“And thank you,” he said as he placed his hand on the small of his back and walked him towards the front door. “Let me know when you get home?” 

“Yes father,” joked Harry. 

“Leave now you bastard,” Louis said as he pointed to the door. “Lock the door behind you.” 

Cocking his head Harry narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together, “and how am I supposed to do that you smart arse?” 

“With this,” he said as he handed him a key. Harry looked at him puzzled, he wasn’t sure what to do, or what to say when it came to this. “Just take it and lock up okay,” he said rolling his eyes. “It’s not that big of a deal,” his face flushed red as he looked down at his worn out Vans. “Night.” 

He could feel his sister was watching from the kitchen as she put the kettle on, but she kept her mouth shut for she knew better than to push Louis. Louis walked towards the door with Harry as he held the key in his hand. “I love you,” Harry whispered to him as he kissed him quickly before opening the door to head down the steps. “Night Charlie,” he added as she waved and Louis shut the door behind Harry. 

“No.” 

“What?” 

“You can take my bed, the couch will be better for my back,” he told his sister walking into the kitchen and finally getting the meds out from the cabinet. “Still no.”   
  
“Whatever,” Charlotte told her brother as she handed him a cuppa. “I’m going to shower and get to bed,” she said stopping and giving her brother a hug. “I have missed that smile on your face,” she told him as Louis rolled his eyes and headed into Maggie’s bathroom to take a shower and get the long day off of him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2017! 
> 
> I want to say that I am sorry for the lack of updating, I have been swamped with house guests, sickness, work, and personal life issues that have been going on. I love you all for sticking with me and not giving up. 
> 
> I will be posting more as my hours with work go back to normal, as well, I have some travel coming up so I will have time to write between flights and car rides and time with my dog (yes, I'm going home to see my dog folks). 
> 
> I hope that 2017 is a much better year that that of 2016 - and thank you again! 
> 
> XO   
> Vi


	16. Session 4

  
Doctor Lawson watched Maggie as she sat on his couch, her head was on the armrest while her legs were stretched out in front of her, she had one of the oversize pillows in her lap with her arms wrapped around it and her chin rested there. She had made little eye contact since walking into his office 23 minutes ago. He had taken note of the plasters on her face, the bruised eye and cut lip. She was out of character today. Her clothes were black leggings with an oversized shirt and jean jacket with high top chucks. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and some of the short strands hung around her face. Like normal she had said hello, and made small talk about how school was and that she was sorry she was late but she was at the other doctors. After that her eyes locked onto the bookcase and she stopped speaking.

Knowing that something was bothering her, he was going to let her wait until she found the right words. Maggie was a different patient, she didn’t mind talking about what was going on if she had the right words to use to describe the situation, but when she didn’t she waited until they came to her. She didn’t want to make the situation seem to trivial when it wasn’t nor did she was to exacerbate a story that was just a footnote. She told it how it was, and she was never coy about it. She believe in what she said and stood by her words and actions. So, to give her the time she needed Doctor Lawson got up and made himself a cuppa, he was parched from his last session and felt that would make things feel more at home.

Once the tea was brewed he set a cup on the coffee table for her, how she liked it, milk, honey and two sugars while he sat back down in his chair, his notes turned over at the same atable by his side and he sipped his tea. Waiting.

“So,” he said as he felt the warm tea coat his throat. “How was the other doctor today?”

“Okay. I have to go and see Dr. Sweet-Albores for my heart condition I have. HCM. Which stands for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy,” she told him as she enunciated the words. “It’s a big way of saying that my heart is rubbish.”

“I am sure there is more to it than that,” he said to her as he took another sip of his tea. “Have you had this your entire life?”

“My grandpa on my father's side had it. So when I was younger they had me tested and found out that I had it. They caught it when I was young so I could be put on the proper medicine to help it from dying.”

As much as he wanted to raise a brow he knew that Maggie was serious about this.

“So, I just went and they checked how my heart was. I got more meds and I was on my way,” she explained to him as her eyes never left the bookcase. “School was also good,” she said as she anticipated his next question. “I missed Nativity practice but Mr. Harry is going to give me notes on what happened.”

“Who are you in the Nativity play?” He asked seeing if she stepped out of her comfort zone.

“Assistant director, and I’m in charge of costumes,” she explained to him as she turned her head slightly towards him, leaning over she grabbed the cup and smiled and nodded her head as a thank you to him. “My Aunt is helping make them so I am helping her out all that I can.”

“Smashing.”

Maggie took a sip of the tea and went back to looking at the bookcase. “It is fun. I like it because Mr. Harry gets to bring me home with Aunt Charlie and then we all have dinner together. Or if dad works late he lets Aunt Charlie go home and he watches me. I went to his house one time when Aunt Charlie was running late and he forgot his key for he took Mr. Liam’s car,” Maggie told him as he made mental notes that Harry was around a lot more now. Taking another sip she leaned back over and set the cup down. “I sometimes think that if it wasn’t for me, my dad would be engaged to Mr. Harry already,” explained Maggie.

“Why do you say that?” Doctor Lawson asked her sitting back in his chair as he nursed his tea.

“He worries about me. He doesn’t want me to feel that Mr. Harry is more important to him than I am. Which is silly. It’s kind of like, 10 is my favorite Doctor. I loved him and Rose and no one will ever take the place of 10 but I really do love 12. Just as much as 10 but in a different way. It’s like that.”

He nodded his head.

“I know my dad and he gets silly like that, but I want him to know that he can love Mr. Harry and me and not worry that I will be upset with him for it. I love Mr. Harry but not the same way I love him. I mean - I do and I don’t.”

“Have you talked to him?”

She shook her head. “He was gone this weekend to Cheshire. With Mr. Harry.”

“Did it go okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he had a lot of fun. He brought me back a postcard and he then told me about Mr. Harry’s parents as well as asked me about Christmas.”

“Oh, and what is that?”

“Go to Cheshire,” she told Doctor Lawson plainly. “He asked me if I wanted to go - and since James will be in Ireland for the entire break. Plus, they also invited Aunt Charlie,” she explained to him as she adjusted the pillow in her lap. “So, we will share a room, and then dad and Mr. Harry will be in the new room they are building and we will get to spend his birthday, Christmas and boxing day in Cheshire.”

“That will be nice,” he said crossing his left leg over his right. “How do you feel about that? I know that you are happy that you are starting to have a ‘normal’,” he said using air quotes over the word, “family. Is that helping it?”

Maggie nodded her head. “Yes, but it’s more that just being normal, it is about having a holiday where my dad doesn’t work. Where we can sit down at a table and enjoy time together. It is even better that Aunt Charlie was invited and will be coming.” She adjusted herself on the couch, her face still turned away from him.

“That is nice, and she is going to go with you?”

“Yep. She might go home before us to spend some time with Dylan,” Maggie explained to him, nervously pushing her loose hair behind her ears. “But, I will be able to meet Mr. Harry’s mum and dad, and sister. Also, his sister had a baby, well he is two and my dad kept talking about. I think that he wants another baby.”

“Oh.”

She nodded, “but again, I don’t think he would - I wouldn’t mind a sister or brother but I am also okay with being an only child.”

Doctor Lawson could tell that she was being truthfully, some kids didn’t mind. A lot of the children that came through wanted to have siblings. Or those who had them envied them for their grades, or being athletic, then there was Maggie who was genuinely okay with it being either way. While she talked about the holidays, and her father having more kids he waited for her to circle back around to her face. “What do you want?”

“I don’t know.”

He nodded as she still sat there, her eyes locked on the bookcase. Maggie didn't want to talk. Or maybe she did. Her chest felt tight and part of her just wanted to cry. Her mind was on a constant loop from the even with her grandmother and no  
matter what she did it was there. She felt like a brat not talking to Doctor Lawson but the internal battle inside of her that was raging was keeping her mind from being able to process what she wanted to say without coming off as a brat.

“Are you upset that you didn’t get to go to Cheshire?” Doctor Lawson asked her. Maybe that was why she was so turned in on herself.

She shrugged.

“What is going on in your head?” He asked as he leaned forward, sitting both his feet down on the ground and leaned forward. “You haven’t been this quiet since our first session. What is going on in your brain that you are trying to figure out?”

“Why haven’t you asked about my face?” She asked quickly.

“Why haven’t you told me about what happened?” He answered just as quickly to her.

Maggie turned around to look at Doctor Lawson, “When my dad was in Cheshire I was at home with Aunt Charlie. She was there when Uncle Niall dropped me off and then James went to a party. So, Aunt Charlie and I got back from dinner. I had changed and I went back out to get the post and. Well,” she stopped. “My grandma showed up and it was truly like a scene from one of those movies where the creepy man, or woman pulls up to kidnap a child. Well, she unrolled her window and told me to get into her car.”

Doctor Lawson froze, her hands laid on his knee as Maggie spoke. He wasn’t to sure what to say to her, but he wasn’t going to stop her talking until she stopped herself.

“I got scared. Like Dalek coming to invade the world scared and took off running. The problem is, we have these loose pavers on the walkway up. Dad has yet to fix them for Ms. Viola our landlady. So I tripped over one of them and my chin hit the ground and from that fall my eyes turned to this,” she pointed to the black and blue shade forming around her eye. I got back into the flat and told Aunt Charlie and we called my dad. Well, I didn’t tell her what happened at first. I just said that I fell. Which was true.”

“When did you tell her?”

“When my dad asked me what happened. I didn’t want him to think that I was in danger, and I didn't want him to come back home worried about me. I am okay. I was okay. I just - I don’t like her and I don’t want her to do something to make my dad hurt.”

Doctor Lawson noted they were going down that road again, but he still wanted to poke at what happened with her. “I take it he didn’t come home?”

She shook her head, “no, but Aunt Charlie told him not to and Uncle Niall had his brother in law drive past our house every hour. He is a police officer.”

“Ah,” Doctor Lawson added. “How did you feel after this happened? Putting aside the fact you didn’t want your father to come home.”

Pressing her lips together, Maggie collected her thoughts, “Scared. But once I talked to my dad I was okay. I also then talked to Mr. Harry and was even better. Aunt Charlie was worried but she didn’t show it. Or, she thought that she didn’t.”

“Did she ever show up again? Your grandmother?” he asked her as he prayed that was a no. Maggie shook her head no and his body relaxed a bit. “Good. Did your Uncle Niall patch you up?”

“Yep. Not chipped teeth and just a banged up face. Which hasn’t been fun to go to school with,” she explained to him. “But when someone is mean Mr. Harry gets on them and tells them to stop. I just told them I fell and they believed the story, so I am okay with the stupid people that talk.”

Doctor Lawson covered his mouth and suppressed a snort as he tried his best to hide to joy he found in Maggie’s sullen face and the look of pure and utter disdain for those in her class.

“I didn't even tell Ashley. Just James knows. He walks with me now to lunch and comes over my house more. I am lucky to have him,”  
Maggie told him as her back leaned into the back of the couch. “My dad said we could go to Doncaster next weekend.”

“That's good! Are you going to see your mum? And grandparents?”

She nodded.

“Anything else?”

“There is this coffee shop we go to. I bring a book to read, dad works of work or reads. We spend most of the time there,” she explained to him with a smile. “But this time Mr. Harry is coming.”

“Oh?”

“It's good, it's better than good. It's - my dad is very closed off. So when he told me that he was coming I knew that he truly loves him.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes!” She told him as she flopped back. “But I can't say anything. Aunt Charlie and I have a bet when he will tell us that he said the ‘L’ word.”

He just shook his head. “Is that wise?”

“Yes,” she told him with her head cocked. “He doesn't know,” she said as she heard the timer go off. “Is time really yo?”

Doctor Lawson nodded.

“Okay,” sitting up she slipped off the couch, picking up her tea she took a few big gulps before setting it in the saucer and walking towards the door. “Are you going to have to talk to my dad about my grandma?”

“Do you want me to?” He asked as he stood up from the chair and adjusted his glasses.

“The fact she tries to hurt me, you have to. I'm not stupid. But it's okay. Just don't make him to sad,” she said as her shoes walked over the wood floors, her hand pulled the door open and walked out. Doctor Lawson held up his hand to his receptionist about sending the next patient in. He stops there for a moment and wrestled with what to do. Maggie was correct, by oath he could talk to her father. But there was something about when she was talking to him made him few as if he knew all he did when it came to her grandma who was, in his personal option, a bar shit crazy arse of a woman.

Maggie wakes over to her father, she posted to Doctor Lawson before Louis slowly pushed himself up from the chair and walked over to Doctor Lawson.

“ ‘Ello,” he said his hands in his jacket pocket, his scrubs were a bit wrinkles and his shoes, he could see his pinky one in one of them.

“If you ever need a character witness, I will be willing to turn my notes over to a court and be present with consent of yourself and Magdalena if a time ever arose,” he said please with his choice of words and actions as to remain neutral but yet take Louis’s side.

Removing his hand Louis extended his left hand and shook Doctor Lawson’s. “Thank you very much.”

“And, if you ever wanted to talk yourself the first session will be on the house.”

Louis smiled, nodded his head and thought about it for a split second before the king him. “How is she doing?” He asked turning to see her take a seat and wait for him. “Is she okay?”

“Yes, she is getting there. Are you?”

“Slowly. I'm trying to climb a mountain against a strong wind at the moment.”

Doctor Lawson put a hand on his shoulder. “I have faith in you winning.”

“Ta,” he said as his mobile buzzed. “See you next week.”

He watched as Louis turned in his heels, Maggie walked over to him, she took her father's hand and they walked out of his office and in with there lives. He waved to his secretary, she said his next patient could come in as he wakes back into his office to clean up the tea from Maggie.

“Chuck, how was the trip?” He asked as the middle aged man shut the door and he set his the cup in the sink.


	17. All Good Things Must End

“Behind!” Harry called as he walked behind Louis, his left hand in an oven not holding a tray of sugar cookies. He set that tray in the counter as he grabbed the now cooled ones and wakes to the table where Louis and Maggie sat and were elbow deep in frosting and decorating. “God those are hot,” he said as he took off the oven glove to check his hand to make sure that he didn’t burn it. 

It was there Saturday together. Louis had off work, Harry had graded all papers last night and today was family day. Which when Harry arrived at the flat was make cookies upon cookies upon cookies day with Louis and her. So he rolled up his sleeves and began to help them with the making of cookies that could honestly feet the entirety of London if they wanted to. Harry didn’t mind, on the contrary he loved these kind of days with Louis and Maggie, it felt like they were officially a family, and it just all fit for him in every way he never thought was possible for the longest time. He had been dubbed the man in the kitchen to remove baked cookies and put in the unbaked ones. Maggie had mixed the batters (with the help of Louis from time to time) and then Louis placed them on the sheet. Onced they were cooled they were handed back over to Maggie where she would begin the decoration process on the sugar cookies. 

Louis had pulled all the Christmas boxes out of the closet in the hallway and was going to have Harry help them put them all up and make the flat feel like the holidays and not just say it. With Bing Crosby playing in the background Louis wanted to just relish in this time with Harry, to make this one of the best holiday times for Maggie since her mother passed and since moving back home to London. Part of him felt pressure to with Harry, to not push him away when trying to make this time for Maggie but include him and make him feel, and know that he was and would always be family to him and his daughter. 

“Don't get hurt, we don't have time to stop at hospital,” Maggie told him as she looked up from her decorating and smiled a snarky grin at Harry as Louis chuckled a bit next to his daughter as his fingers moved over what cookies he was going to choose to eat and spoil his dinner. 

Laughing, Harry walked over to Louis, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, looking down he smiled, “I've got my personal nurse, so I am okay.”

“Gross,” laughed Maggie as her attention went back down to the cookie in front of her and partly since she didn’t want to see her dad kissing Mr. Harry. 

“I thought it was cute,” Louis said looking up and kissing Harry. Maggie made a noise to lock her father. Narrowing his eyes Louis stuck his finger in the frosting. Reaching across the table he tapped his daughters nose. “Rude.”

Gasping Maggie’s head shot up at her father. 

“I'm not cleaning the kitchen if frosting gets everywhere,” Harry said as he held his hands up and walked towards the oven to check on the cookies. “Last sugar cookie batch is going in, then we can work in the others.”

“Who needs others?” Louis asked as he broke an arm off a gingerbread man cut out cookie and popped it into his mouth. “All you need is right here!”

“I have recipes and supplies for oatmeal chocolate chip, lemon and peanut butter,” Harry explained turning around and glaring at Louis who had told him he wanted to go all out and make a million cookies. Now the man was finished after 48. 

“He speaks the truth,” Maggie added as she concentrated on the cookies. She had insisted on wearing an apron, her Jean shirt sleeves rolled up and her curls were pulled back in a bun as she kneeled in the chair and decorated each cookie with care and love. “Can we get Thai food?”

“What happened to making pizza?” Louis asked as he grabbed a snowflake one that was frosted blue and took a bit of that one as Harry sat down and looked over the cookies. 

His daughter’s hands stopped, she turned her head and gave him a puzzled look as Harry aborted and covered his mouth. “You think we will be finished and want to make dinner?”

“Yes.”

Maggie turned to Harry, “my dad can make pizza. Want to order take always?”

“Sure,” he said as a few sprinkles hit his face.

“Rude, you bloody man child!” He laughed tossing the sprinkles that hit the kitchen table with a clink back, and missed Louis. “Shut up!” He yelled snapping at him as he laughed. 

“Pizza tomorrow?”

“And a movie?”

“It's Haza’s turn,” he reminded her. “Charlotte will be here to with Dylan.”

“Works for me,” she said with a shrug as her concentration went back to cookie making. Louis grabbed a rag and wiped his hands off before standing up and walking over to the fridge as there was a knock on the door. 

“So the normal?” He asked as he set the cookie down and made his way to the door. “Order an extra order of Pad Thai and I can bring it for lunch Mond-” he stopped as he opened the door and saw two officers with a woman in a suit and Emily standing there. “What the fook is this?” He asked. 

The woman in a navy suit and tan trench coat smiled, her greying hair was pulled back into a sensible bun. She took a step closer to the door, reaching into her pocket she spoke. “I am here with child service. We had many reports about the conditions of your daughter and are here to remove her as we investigate,” she said flashing her badge to Louis and giving him a moment to check that it was real. 

“No,” Louis said as he blocked the door, his mind was racing with what he should be doing but his body was just acting to protect his daughter at this point. “You need a warrant and probable cause and if it coming from this women it's all lies,” he said as Emily stood there with a smug condescending look on her face. 

“Sir, if you don't move we will arrest you,” she said as the two police officers took a step closer to the door. Louis wasn’t going to back down - not when it came to Emily. 

“Darling what's going on?” Harry asked walked over to Louis and his entire body froze. He had seen this happen once when he was student teaching, and he had heard about it from fellow teachers but never in his life did he think he would have to experience it himself.  “On what grounds?” 

The woman turned and looked at Harry, smiled and began to recite a list of false charges. “Negligence, abuse,” the woman said as the officer shoved the door open. It hit Louis in his face and caused him to fall to the ground, he let out a curse and rolled onto his side as he felt the taste of copper in his mouth. “We have a court date set up to see that custody of her goes to her grandparents so she will be able to live a proper life and not one that is on the move and detrimental to her mental and physical health.”

“Dad what is going on?” Maggie asked as the woman walked up to her. “Get away from me!” She dropped the cookie that was in her hand, jumped off the chair and ran over to her father who was trying to stand up but his chin was bleeding and the room seemed to be spinning. “Get away!” Her voice cracked as she screamed, tears streaming down her face as she clung to her father. “Dad no, no I won't leave my dad! No!” She screamed as she kicked the woman as she tried to approach her. 

“Don't fight,” Louis whispered to her. “Listen. I love you my darling girl and I will get you back,” Louis said as he kissed her. Her hand touched his chin and her chin began to quiver. “I love you. You are stronger than you think, wiser than you know and I love you,” he said as the officer picked her up. “She needs her medication,” Louis cried out as he reached for his daughter. Maggie stretched as far as she could to reach her father but the officers held her back. 

Emily laughed, glaring at Louis her eyes went black he was convinced for several moments. “Another lie. He is just pumping her with drugs for his own pleasure,” Emily said malice laced in each word. “See you in court Louis.” She tossed the papers at him as she followed them out of the flat. “You are home now Maggie.”

She said nothing. No tears no crying. Just silence. 

Composing himself Louis wiped the blood from his chin on his shirt sleeve. Looking down at the papers he let out a loud “fook!” before slamming them ot the ground. Pushing himself up off the wood floor he extended his arms out to keep his balance as the entire flat seemed to move. “Call Niall. I think I have a concussion,” Louis said not sure if the words leaving his mouth were slurred or not. Bracing himself up on the wall he walked as fast as he could out the door and down the steps. He could hear Harry on the phone but he wasn’t sure who he was talking to. With each step he felt the stairs spin, his feet tripped on themselves as he rounded the corner of the steps and saw his daughter’s red face that was stained with tears. “Maggie!” He called out his voice cracking as he reaching the entry of the flat. 

Viola, his landlady stood there, her dressing gown on and a scared look on her face. “What is going on!” She yelled. “Unhand that child now!” 

Emily stopped, “you won’t be burdened by her anymore. And if I was you I would evict her drug crazed father,” she spat at her before turning on her heals and leaving. 

Catching his breath, Louis propped himself up against the door frame, “Magdalena!” he called out as Emily held her by the arm. Maggie turned around, seeing her father she yanked her arm from her grandmother’s grip and took off running. Shoving the iron gate open it closed with a loud bang as her socked feet ran over the brick pavers that lead up to the door. Bending down Louis engulfed his daughter with a hug. “I love you more than words. I want you to be brave,” he said as he kissed her head knowing he didn’t have much time. “I want you to be brave like Rose when she consumed the heart of The Tardis. I want you to be brave like Clara when the raven came after her. I want you to be brave like Rory and know that I will always come back and find you. I won’t let her win, I need you to be brave, I need you to listen. Even if you don’t want to, you need to listen so that it doesn’t get worse.” 

Maggie nodded, giving her father one last hug and a kiss on his nose. Louis gave her one final kis before Emily grabbed her from him. Maggie was wiped around as Emily held onto her arm as tight as she could. “You won't win Emily.,” Louis told her, his voice was still and certain. 

She let out a snort. “We will see about that.” 

Louis watched as they walked away, he saw Maggie get into the back of her car and take off. He saw the two officers leave with the woman in the suit and he stood there looking out at nothing. Tasting the copper in his mouth Louis reached up and touched his chin and realized that it was more than just a cut. Taking a deep breath in he turned around and looked at Viola, “I am sorry. I will pay to have the carpet cleaned up,” he said to her as he turned and made his way back up the steps. As he walked each step felt as if he was walking backwards and getting nowhere. Rounding the corner he saw Harry was stood there, his face wasn’t one of sympathy but one of pain and hurt with him.  

“Charlotte is on her way over, as if your lawyer and Niall,” he told him reaching out to help him up the steps as everything seemed to be moving again. “I got you,” he said as Louis’s legs gave out at the top of the steps. 

“I'm fine,” he said as Harry saw that his hand was stained with blood from his chin. 

“I know,” Harry told him sitting down next to him. He reached into his lap and took his hand. “It will all be fine.”

Everything after that seemed to happen at once. Charlotte showed up, Niall was soon to follow and then Douglas the lawyer was there. Harry didn’t even have time to put two words together before they had gone up to Louis’s room to talk about what needed and could be done. Harry found himself standing in the kitchen, the cookies he had put in the oven lay burnt on the cookie tray while the table was still covered in bowls of now semi dry frosting, sprinkles and cookies. “I need to clean up,” Harry said not sure what else to do. Taking a deep breath, he began to bin the burnt cookies. While the others ones he found containers to place them in while he cleaned out the bowls, put the sprinkles in the basket and put them all away along with the supplies for the other cookies that were not going to be made. 

Niall walked into the kitchen after he had given Louis an exam to make sure that he was okay. “He has a minor concussion but will be okay,” he said as he set his medical bag down on the now clean kitchen table. “Are you okay?” 

Harry nodded his head as Charlie walked over and handed both Harry and Niall a cuppa. “How is Lou?” 

“Physically okay. Mentally I’m not sure and emotionally I’m sure that he is broken,” Niall explained to him. “I gave him some meds to help with the pain. I gave him some meds to help him sleep as well.” 

Charlotte nodded her head, “well Douglas said that Louis was going to stop by tomorrow to talk more. He was going to look over the papers and see if they could push up the court date,” she told them.  

“Why is she doing this?” Harry asked as he set his tea down. “Why now?” 

“She is evil, she didn’t need a set time she just needed the right person to listen to her and for her to formulate the right plan and execute it,” Charlie told him as her blood began to boil. “She is an evil, vile, wench of a human and I could just… punch her!” she hissed sitting her mug down and taking a deep breath in. “Sorry. Lou doesn’t need me getting all hot headed.” 

Harry nodded, “thanks for checking on him Niall,” he said standing up from the table and walking to the kitchen. “I think that I’m going to make some soup,” he said a bit out of it but not sure what else to do. He wanted to run up the steps and see Louis, but he also wanted to give Lou space to think and process all that was going on. 

“Thank you, but I am going to head back home and talk to Areyna and James. I need to let them know what is going on. Please,” he said finishing his tea, “let me know what I can do to help. Anything. I will let the hospital know and keep it discrete and get him some time off now and when it comes time for whatever hell is going to happen,” he said shaking his head. Standing up he grabbed his medical bag, setting a comforting hand on Harry’s shoulder he gave it a squeeze and then turned, dropping his hand he gave Charlotte a hug. “I am always here for you two. Always.” 

Charlotte smiled, “thank you Niall.” she told him. 

“I will see myself out,” he said as he walked towards the door. “Everything will be okay,” he said. Both Harry and Charlotte smiled, while both wanted to believe this, it was hard at this very moment to think that anything would be okay. Niall bid them farewell and Harry and Charlie stood there in the kitchen. 

“I was going to email my professors and skip class tomorrow,” Charlie told him. “What?” she asked as Harry stopped and his face fell. 

“I know that you love Lou, and this is, this is something that is out of our hands but I think that in order to help Louis with everything if you went to class. I already emailed the school and are going to use two sick days and have a substitute.” 

Charlotte cocked her head. 

“You are almost done with school, I have him and if things get too much then I will call you in for help,” he promised as he put the pot on the stove and began to prep the soup, pouring the broth into the pot, pausing he took a deep breath in, “I don’t want to sound harsh. I’m sure that -” 

Walking over to him Charlie pulled Harry into a hug. “Thank you for being her for Louis, and thank you for all that you have done so far,” she told him as she held him tight. “Are you going to stay here?” 

Harry nodded, “Liam is going to drop off a bag for me and my work stuff,” he explained to her as he turned the stove on and began to boil the chicken. “I am going to be with him now, whatever happens and forever on,” he promised Charlotte as he heard the bedroom door open and Louis began to walk down the steps. As soon as his sock covered feet hit the hardwood floor and he walked into the kitchen. He was still in his jeans, but changed his shirt that had blood on it from his accident. His eyes seemed to have aged - his entire body seemed to just sink in on itself and his skin was a grey color. The life and joy in his eyes that once was there was gone. All that remained was an empty vessel. 

“I’m making soup,” explained Harry with a smile. 

Louis nodded. 

“I’m going to stay here and hang here if that is okay?” Charlie asked her brother. “Dyl said he was going to pick me up after work.” 

“You better be in class tomorrow,” he said to her with a serious tone. “I think I’m going to shower and change.” 

Harry nodded as the broth began to boil with the carrots, celery and onion in them, “it’s going to be awhile.” 

Forcing a smile he nodded to his sister and headed back up to his bedroom. With each step Harry’s heart broke a bit more for the man he loved. 

With each step Louis’s mind was just blank. It had gone through all the possible ways of getting Maggie back now, it had also thought of all the ways to get back to Emily. Now, now his mind was still. He wasn’t sure what to think - or what to do. He had to figure out work. He had to talk to the school, he had all these things that needed to be done now but his mental capacity to do any of them were zero. His chin hurt from the door slamming into it, and his head was throbbing from his talk with Douglas. The legal terms, not to mention all the what if and what could in the next few days. 

As his bedroom was shut Louis dragged his tired feet across the carpet and took a seat on the edge of his bed, crossing his leg and pulled off his sock, setting that foot down he crossed his other leg and removed the sock from his left foot. Rolling the ends he set them on his bed, taking a deep breath in he felt as if there was an elephant standing on his chest and the devil in his mind was telling him that he was going to lose. 

“Carly,” he said closing his eyes to stop the tears from falling. “God, I wish that you were here,” he said his voice shook as he felt his chest flutter as he held back the wave of emotions that he knew would come out in a matter of seconds if he let it. He was going to be strong for Maggie, for Carly and even if it killed him he was going to make sure that he never let Emily see him worry. Ever. Opening up his eyes he Louis tapped his knees before pushing himself up off the bed and he made his way over to the bathroom. His care feet moved over the tile as he turned on the water. As it heated up he slipped off his jeans, and took off his white cotton t-shirt. Laying them on top of the closed toilet, Louis slipped his glasses off his face, setting them down on the vanity he headed into the shower. The warm water felt amazing on his skin, and he was able to be alone. His eyes closed as the water fell on his face, down his body and legs he felt the world stopped for a few moments and he was just existing. 

 

***

 

Harry opened his eyes, the telly was on but he wasn’t sure what time of day it was - not what was on the telly. Charlotte had gone before they had put on the telly, looking over he saw the couch was empty, the couch where Louis had fallen asleep on a few hours ago. He hadn’t touched his food but he attempted and that was that Harry cared about. Uncurling his legs from the chair, he set his feet on the ground, his wool socks bunched up over his skinny jeans. Pushing his hair out of his face he turned around and saw the time on the clock on the stove. It was just past ten and the flat was quiet, the quietest that he had ever heard it. Usually Maggie was laughing, or running around, the telly on in the background or her music playing in her room. But now the flat was still. Looking around Harry tried to see where Louis could but, but the lights that were up in his room were off as were the ones on the stairs. Standing up he turned and saw the faint light coming from Maggie’s bedroom. Harry slowly made his way down the hallway towards Maggie’s bedroom. He stood there for a moment to listen, he didn’t hear anything inside the room but he knew that Lou was in there. 

Pushing the door open he stood in the doorway as Louis sat on his daughter’s bed, he was holding her stuffed Dalek and looking at a photo. His head lifted as he smiled at Harry, “thank you for the soup,” he said to him. “Thank you for everything.” 

Harry nodded as he walked into Magdalen’s bedroom, “you don’t need to thank me,” he told him as he took a seat next to him on the bed. Biting his bottom lip he turned his head and looked at Lou. “I am always going to be here for you,” he assured him as the rested his hand on his knee. He had been trying hard to find the right words, or the right phrasing to tell Louis how sorry he was and that he was there for him but nothing seemed right. All the words seemed to fall flat, and just be words with nothing behind them. “What do you have to do tomorrow with Douglas?” 

Louis cleared his throat, “umm, I have to get up early and be at his office at like. Ummm, 9. Maybe. 9:30,” he said shaking his head as he looked up at Harry, “you better getting going home,” he tapped his knee. “You have to be up early and go to work and,” he stopped as Harry looked at him with a stupid smile on his face. “What is wrong with you?” 

Leaning over he kissed him gently on the lips. “Nothing,” he said as Louis huffed. “Well I have a bag with somethings to last a few days and I have a sub coming,” he told Louis. “What time do we need to be at Douglas’s office?” 

Louis just stared at Harry. 

“I am here,” he said his words firm and sounds. 

“Um,” Louis said as he tried his best to find the words to speak to Harry without crying. “Yeah. Okay. Yeah,” he said stuttering not sure what to say to Harry. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said his voice softened and he looked down at the photos of him, Maggie and Harry. “I. I am scared Harry.” Louis laid his head on Harry’s shoulder and closed his eyes. “I feel as if someone reached into my chest, pulled my heart out, stomped on it, spat on it, stabbed it a zillion times and then put it through a paper shredder and shoved it into my stomach.” 

Harry stopped, he felt his stomach drop and he felt as if his own heart was ripped out from his chest. He couldn’t even begin to fathom what Louis was feeling, he just wanted to hug him, give him a kiss and tell him that he loved him and that everything was going to be okay. But more than that Harry wanted him to actually believe that it was going to be okay. “I know that it’s just words, but know that I am here for you in whatever you need darling,” Harry explained to him as he kissed his nose. “We are going to go through this together,” he took his hand and kissed his fingers. “Me and you. Until everything is done and we have Magdalena back. Me and you.” 

Louis looked up at Harry, his eyes were a bit glasses over as he did, “yeah?” 

Harry nodded. 

“Good.” 

Harry smiled and kissed the top of Louis’s head. “Do you want to head to bed now?” he asked him as Louis sat up and couldn’t agree more with Harry. He wasn’t sure if it was the drugs that Niall gave him for his chin, or if it was just the activities of the day his body was drained. “We are going to have another long day tomorrow and for the foreseeable few weeks.” 

“Ta.” Louis set the photo of the three of them back on Maggie’s bedside table.  

Standing up from the bed Harry stretched his arms over his head, his jumper lifting up his stomach and his back cracking a bit as Louis sat there for a moment, not sure what to do and if he would be able to walk. “I can crash on the couch,” Harry explained to Louis as he gestured to the living room. 

Louis furrowed his brow as he turned and looked at the crazy man standing in front of him. “I’ve seen you naked multiple time, I think we can share a bed in clothes,” Louis hold him as he stood up and walked past Harry to the doorway, “plus,” he said as he shut the light off. “The couch is terribly uncomfortable.” 

Harry laughed as he placed his hand on the small of his back, “yes, I am sure that is what it is,” he told him shaking his head just happy that he was still able to smile at this point. Both men carried there tired bodies up the steps and to Louis bedroom. Louis headed into his bathroom to change while Harry slipped from his clothes and into his jimjams. Louis walked out of the bathroom, glasses off and in his pants and a ratty t-shirt. 

“I looked nice when we went on holiday, but now you get this,’” he told him as he walked over to the bed and pulled down the duet and harry tried his best not to laugh as he propped up the pillows he would be using and climbed into the bed. “You still wear matching pajamas?” 

“I sleep naked but I feel that isn’t the appropriate thing to do in a time like this,” he sassed back as Louis arched his brow. “Call me a nerd, yes I do!” he said with a huff and pulled the duvet up to his chest. Louis bit his bottom lip and laughed. “I know the next few weeks are going to be hard, but promise me that you won’t forget how to laugh, for the sake of Maggie, please laugh at least once a day. Even if I have to act a fool I will,” he promised him as he kissed his cheek. 

Louis turned, his hand cupped Harry’s face, his eyes were red from crying no doubt when he was in the shower of whenever he would excuse himself. “Okay,” he said. “I might cry once a day to.” 

“And I will be there with tissues, a hug and a shoulder,” Harry explained as his arms wrapped around Louis and he held him. He buried his head into his chest as his body seemed to shake a bit as he cried, something he had been keeping inside but felt to tired to do it anymore. 

 

***

 

The Doctor's office. DVLA, Dentist, Headmaster's office, the couch when mum and dad say ‘they need to talk’ all have the same feeling. The pit in the stomach, the lump in the throat, the sweaty palms and racing heart. The worry of what could happen and then the relief when nothing happens. Not to mention each place tends to call the same, terrible decorator, and same light store. Harry expected that to happen when he walked into Douglas’s office but thankfully the lights didn’t make everything look yellow. Once they walked into the office they were greeted by Douglas’s secretary Robert. 

“If you lot would like to take a seat, I can get you coffee or tea,” Rob said as he walked around from his desk. “Douglas is on the phone now and once he is done he will be out.” 

“Ta,” Louis told him as he took a seat and Harry sat down next to him. He crossed his legs and tapped the side of his boot as they waited. “I will take a water.” 

“Same,” Harry added a bit anxious as he sat back into the leather couch and waited. As he sat there he had no idea how Louis could be so calm as he sat there and just drank his water as if nothing was going on. His mind was racing with what could be - and he wanted to just know that it was going to be okay. He wanted to hear it from Douglas that Maggie would be back home soon and the world would be set right.

“It’s just Douglas,” Louis told him as as he tapped Harry’s knee. “Thank you for coming with me,” he said as he looked up as the oak door opened and Douglas walked out. He looked a bit stressed but smiled as best as he could at Louis and Harry and motioned them to his office. Standing up Louis made his way into the office as Harry followed behind him. Walking in he saw that it was decorated the same, but had a few more personal touches like the photos of his wife and twin daughters on the wall and his desk.

“Thank you for coming in Lou,” he said to him as he pointed to the two leather chairs in front of his desk as he took a seat. “And Harry, so I talked to the judge and you are in good hands with the case, he is very sympathetic to single fathers so we already have a leg up,” he told them as he took  a seat and slid his chair into his desk. 

“So, there will be a trial?” Louis asked. 

“Yes,” Douglas confirmed. “They have ‘evidence’. They wanted to have it in eight months but I had them push it up to next week,” he explained to them. “So, I’m going to need you to make a list of character witnesses that we can use,” he told him. “Maggie will be with Emily, and unfortunately there isn’t anything we can do about it.” 

“She needs to take her medicine,” Louis told him. “I know that Emily says no but if she doesn’t take them then she will have heart complications,” he explained to him his face was serious and sullen as he looked at Douglas. Sitting there, Harry reached over and took his hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“I have brought that up and it’s her choice. I will bring it up when we are in court,” Douglas told him as he looked over some papers. “She is supposed to be at school and so if she isn’t, or if she is late or pulled out early I need you,” he said looking at Harry, “to let us know for that would help us,” Douglas explained to him. “But with that being said, you can’t speak to Maggie about the case at school. You will just have to be your teacher and nothing else.” 

Harry nodded. 

“It’s important that you adhere to this, as stupid as it may seem if you do then they could use this against Louis.” 

“I will make sure that I don’t,” Harry promised him as he reached over and grabbed Louis’s hand. “Is there anything we can do?” 

“Get your character witnesses, and that is about it.” 

“Why did they come?” Louis asked. “What made them decide to come that night of all nights?” 

Douglas cleared his throat as he let out a huff, “she said she was driving by on a Saturday and she saw you shove Maggie and her fall to the ground and cut her chin and then you grabbed her and brought her into the flat,” Douglas said. “It’s the night that Maggie did fall, but you were out of town,” he explained to them. “So, I am going to bring up the statement and I will have Niall go on the record as well as Charlie about the event.” Louis nodded his head as he did his best to keep it all together. “We will get this all sorted Louis, I promise you. Emily is just a wicked woman who wanted to make it seem that she had power. Maggie will be home for Christmas.” 

“Thank you,” he said as he stretched out his hand and shook Douglas’s. “I will email you the list of Character witnesses tonight,” he said as he stood up and Louis followed his lead. “Thank you again.” 

Douglas nodded as he showed Louis and Harry out of his office. “We will get through this Louis, I promise you. I will do everything that I can and we will get Magdalena back.” 

“I know,” he said not sure. “Have a good day,” he said lacing his fingers with Harry’s as they walked through the lobby and headed out the oak door. Louis’s trainers stood at the first step of the pavement and he just stood there. 

He looked around and saw the cars going to and from on the street, some were honking there horns. Shoes were clicking as they walked past, wheels of a skateboard, some from a baby buggy. He just stood there and let everything wash out the voices in his head. The ones that were telling him that he was going to lose Maggie, the ones that laughed at him at the thought that he was a good father and that all this time he had been prepping Emily for this moment. As he stood there the sounds got louder and he felt smaller and smaller to the world. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath in and reached out to brace himself against Harry as he felt his knees give out. 

“Hey, I got you,” Harry said as grabbed his arm and helped him stand up. “We got this Lou.” 

He turned and looked at Harry, “but what if we don’t? What if we don’t have this?” His voice cracked. “What if, what if I lose and that I wasn’t a fit father and all these seven almost eight years I have just fooked up her life and she was -” 

Harry stopped, turning he rested his hands on his shoulders, “You have raised one of the most amazing, brilliant, talented, selfless, giving, sarcastic, generous, and kind young woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and teaching. You are a strong man, and while this sucks. Sucks to much that I don’t even have a word other than to yell ‘FUCK IT’ to the world. But you need to know that I am here, and I will  _ always _ be here for you and we will get through this together. You won’t ever be in this alone, and you won’t end up with nothing.” 

Blinking Louis felt the tears running down his face as his chin quivered. “Yeah?”   
  
“Yes darling,” Harry cupped his face, and his thumb rubbed his cheek as he felt a lump forming in his own throat. Leaning forward he pressed his forehead against Louis’s and smiled. “We will get Maggie back”


	18. Hurricane

Harry felt as if he was in a parallel universe as he drove to work. While everything was there, the street lights, the shops on his way, the cars that were in front, next to and behind him. The kids made there way to school, the commuters were heading to the tube stations, as well as office buildings. Harry was in his car and driving like he did every Monday through Friday but everything seemed wrong. The way his chest felt tight, the fact his hands wouldn’t stop shaking or the simple fact he hadn’t slept more than four hours the past four days. The way his eyes were dry from the crying and staying up to due to the picture of Maggie being dragged away played over and over in his mind whenever he tried to close his eyes. Turning into the car park at the school Harry pulled around to the back and pulled into his spot. Putting his car into park, he turned off his car and sat there for a moment.  

“Just keep breathing,” he told himself as he tapped on the steering wheel. “You will be okay. You can walk into that school and see the kids and have a good day,” he told himself as he saw a few other teachers pull in. “Just stay in your classroom - just eat lunch there and when the bell rings get what you need, and go back home to Lou,” he told himself to help him feel better about his day. “Niall is with Lou, you are fine.” 

He didn’t feel fine. He wasn’t sure if his feet would make it from the car to the classroom. He felt wrong that he left Louis, but he knew that he had to. He had skipped Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and he didn’t want to waste the rest of his sick days when he was going to need them when it came to the trial that began Friday, as of now. All he could think about was Louis, worry about Maggie and pray he could make it through the day without breaking down, having an anxiety attack or punching a teacher who says the wrong thing to him. 

“Okay. You need to leave the car and get to your class,” Harry told himself as he sat there still. Taking a deep breathe in he closed his eyes and counted to ten, jumping a bit as he heard a knock on his window. Pressing his hands on his chest he glared at Liam as he stood there with his bag across his chest and winter jacket on. He held his hands up and backed up away from the car. Opening up the car door he got out, zipping his jacket up to his chin he walked around to the back of his car, opening the door he grabbed his bag before shutting the door. “Really Liam?” he asked his mate locking his car and headed towards the school. 

“Sorry,” Liam said as he fell in step with him as they walked. “How are you mate?” 

Harry turned and raised a brow. 

“Did you get any sleep?” 

“No,” he admitted to him as his curly hair flopped to the side. Harry dropped his head as a few teachers walked past him headed into the building. “But I am here.” 

Stopping, Liam grabbed Harry’s bag and pulled him over to him. “Harry.” 

“Niall is with Louis today and I need to be here. I - I need to be able to go to work and not feel helpless in all that is going on,” he explained to him as he took a deep breath in. “I am fine Li.” 

“No you aren’t but you are going to pretend that you are and I will let you,” he said to him with a small smile. “You know that Jo and I are here for you and Lou, more than just being character witnesses to.” 

Harry nodded as he turned as another teacher walked past him. Liam arched his brow a bit puzzled at Harry’s actions with everyone around them who walked past. “Thanks Liam, I know that. I just. Yeah.” 

He nodded, “I’m here Harry. Jo is here for anything.” 

Harry nodded his head as a few more teachers walked past them. 

Liam wanted to speak more to him but the look on his face was one of anxiety and exhaustion. He patted Harry on the shoulder as they headed on up the steps and into the school. Liam waved to a few teachers. “Can I say how glad I am that I don’t have another student teacher,” he said as Harry chuckled. “I had to tell the Uni that she was a fit teacher but that she needed to stay away from em when they transferred schools for her to finish off her lessons.” 

“Jo would have come in and beat the shit out of her,” Harry stated as Headmaster Bryant stepped out of her office and smiled as she approached Liam and Harry. Her black stiletto shoes clicked on the file as her fitted suit moved with her body as she walked up to them. “Coach Payne, Mr. Harry how are you two this morning?” she asked. 

“Good,” Liam said with a smile as his eyes glanced over at Harry who looked disheveled. His trousers were wrinkled, his eyes were red and had bags under them. His face was surprisingly shaved but his hair, while it was always styled back the curls lay around the sides of his face, his coat was off by one button making him look even worse than he was. “Well, I’m going to get some coffee and head to my office before class,” he said. “If you need anything Harry you know where I ma.” 

“Ta,” he said as he knew Headmaster Bryant was there to speak to him. “Your office?” he asked. She nodded and lead the way. Her shoes clicked, and Harry’s clicked between hers as they turned into the office and there shoes were muffled by the carpet. Harry smiled at the people in the office and walked into Isabella’s office. 

“Take a seat Harry,” she said her voice was calm as she motioned to a chair that was in front of her desk. She made her way and sat down in her own chair. Taking a seat Harry removed his work beg and set it on the ground. His heart reaced for he was worried about what was going to happen as he sat there. The last time he sat there was when he was hired for this job what seemed to be many moons ago. “How are you?” 

“Good, glad to be back at work,” he forced a smile on his face and hoped that it was convincing. 

Isabella smiled, leaning back in her chair he felt as if she was going to just drop a bomb on him. He wasn't sure if he was able to handle anything else that would be thrown at him. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said as she cleared her throat and leaned forward. “We are on your side, and we are here to help you and Mr. Tomlinson as much as we can. With that being said, we are going to put you on a sabbatical,” she explained to him as Harry felt his face drop for he felt his heart drop. “It’s not that you can’t do your job, it is for the simple fact that with everything going on we want you to make sure that you are okay. It also doesn’t help with Maggie being in your class that her grandmother and her lawyer were skeptical of her coming back to school.” 

Harry nodded. 

“So, today, if there a film the class can watch? You can prep the lesson plans for the next two weeks and I will be the one to go and teach your class,” she offered him. Harry felt better knowing that it would be Isabella who would be taking his spot while he was gone - but his heart ached for not being at school and getting his life back to normal in a way. Noticing that Harry was silent, she spoke up again, “Your job will be here for you,” she explained to him as Harry snapped back to reality. “This is just to make sure that they can’t accuse you of anything when Maggie comes back.” 

“I understand,” he forced himself to say. “I will find something for them to do today and work on finalizing the lesson plans for you.” 

Isabella smiled as she stood up. “We will be here to support you Harry, but at this moment you might need to be someplace else to support someone who needs it.” 

Grabbing his bag Harry stood up, ‘yeah. Thank you.” 

“If you need something from the library then you can go and grab it before school begins.” 

Harry smiled as he showed himself out of the office. Shrugging his bag onto his shoulder he left the office and headed down the long hallway to the library. He wasn’t sure what film he was going to grab, but he was going to get a run one where the kids can just sit there and enjoy it for the entire day. His shoes clicked as he felt the walls were closing in on him, and that every teacher he passed was looking at him and laughing. He knew that his mind was like a runaway train and making molehills out of mountains. Reaching the library, Harry took a deep breath in as he walked in and felt better. 

“Hi Gladys,” he said as the elder librarian smiled at Harry as he walked over to the films where teachers checked them out. Running his hands over the films he hummed as he wasn’t even sure what film to show. His brain was over thinking about Louis and he ended up standing there looking at the films, his eyes glassed over as he did so. 

“Need anything Mr. Styles?” Gladys asked as she walked over to Harry and put a film back. Harry shook his head no, but thanked her as he reached forward and grabbed a film and made his way out of the library. “I got it,” she told Harry as he stopped and held the film up and made his way to see Liam before going to his classroom. He thought that he would be able to intervene with Maggie and help her out, but now with him being gone he needed Liam to be his eyes and ears in this building. As he rounded the corner to the gym Harry walked over to the side and over to the classrooms. He could hear him speaking as he walked into his room and sat down at his desk. 

“Lou isn’t a vegetarian is he?” Liam asked as he moved his mobile from his mouth and looked at Harry. He shook his head no. “No. I have to go love,” he said. “I will see you tonight as well,” he said Harry realizing that he was speaking to Jo. He hung up his mobile and set it down on his desk as he looked at Harry .”What happened mate?” 

“Sabbatical.” 

His eyes grew wide and jaw dropped. “No.” 

Harry nodded his head as he looked around Liam’s room. “You need to add more stuff to these walls Liam. It’s really sad in here.” 

“Okay, how about we don’t change the subject,” he said standing up and walking around and sitting on the the front of his desk. “I also am not you - and the kids are never in here so, hush your face.” 

Rolling his eyes Harry took a deep breath in. “If Maggie shows up to school can you make sure that she doesn’t do to much.” Liam arched a brow. “Her grandmother doesn’t believe Lou that she has HCM so she hasn’t been on her meds since Saturday so if she is running and everything she might have a heart attack or pass out.” 

Liam froze. “What?” 

“Yeah. I. Just do it for Lou. I don’t want him to get a call that she is in hospital and he can’t see her.” 

Liam felt his entire heart drop in his stomach and his stomach flew up to his throat. “Harry… I don’t even know…” he paused as Harry nodded. “I will do everything that I can, maybe she can work on the school work that she missed. I will bring that up to Isabella.” 

“Ta. Thanks,” he said as he stood up and grabbed the film. “I have to go and prep lesson plans for when I’m out for two weeks.” 

Liam walked over to him and pulled Harry into a hug. “Please Harry, just let me know what is going on and I will help you as much as I can. Even if that is packing a bag for you to stay with Louis for two weeks.” 

“I know,” he said pulling Liam into a hug. “I appreciate it Liam, and thank you for being so understanding,” he said to him as he pulled away from the hug and adjusted his bag. “I better find my way to my class. I also want to check in on Lou before the work day begins.” 

Liam nodded as he patted Harry on the shoulder, “well when you get home tonight don’t be shocked when the freezer and fridge is filled with food for you, Lou and Charlie. Jo doesn’t know what to do and she is so angry that she has been cooking the past two days so you will have food for a few months.” 

Laughing, Harry shook his head as he made his way to towards the door. “Well, Niall is there now with him so he can deal with all of that,” he paused in the doorway as he took a deep breath in and stopped. “Thank you so much Liam. I know I’ve said it over and over again but it mean it. I’m - I’m not sure what I would do without you help.” 

He smiled at his mate. 

“I think after work I’m going to stop by the house and get clothes for the next two weeks….” he trailed off. “I don’t want Lou to be alone, and even if Charlie is there I still don’t want… I can't even think of a complete sentence,” he huffed at himself. 

“Let's get you coffee,” Liam said as he skipped a bit before linking his arm with Harry’s as they headed to the staff room. “I know that look, so buddy system no?!”

Harry smiled, patting Liam's hand they turned a corner and headed to the teachers break room to get his coffee. Stepping in, Liam let go of his arm and Harry headed over to the coffee put as a few teachers whispered something. His hands shook as he reached into his bag and pulled out the coffee cup Maggie got him, setting it down with a little clink on the counter he grabbed the coffee pot and poured the coffee. 

“So,” Pam asked, she was a year two teacher who had hated Harry since he started. “Are you going to be teaching here still? I mean first you were sleeping with a student's father, then you get the student sent away. Lucky you.” 

Harry sat nothing as he stood there and put some cream into his coffee. 

“What is next?” 

Picking up the mug Harry turned and Pam stood there. He wasn’t in the mood for this, his mind first thought he could pull a crazy scene like in a film, take his coffee and throw it in her face. He quickly checked that off as a no for he didn’t want to be fired, nor did he want to deal with having witnesses when it comes to his act. His second thought was to slam the mug on the ground, cause a scene and yell. But that was a no since Maggie gave this to him and he loved it. His third was to just walk away. That one he was more inclined to do. Taking a deep breath in, he tried to move past her but she moved and blocked him yet again. 

“Please Pam, I just want to go to my class and start the day,” he told her as she rolled her eyes. “Just move,” he said as he pushed past her and she hit his hand and his cup slipped from his hand,.looking down he saw the coffee spilling from it and his heart broke as the ceramic cup met the tile floor and landed with a CRASH. “Fuck! Pam!” 

“It’s a cup.” 

“No it’s not!” Harry yelled as he dropped to his knees, his hands shakingly picked up the pieces as he felt his eyes sting a bit. “Stop!” He yelled as the entire teacher’s break room went silent at Harry’s reaction to Pam. Liam dropped to his knees and helped Harry pick up the pieces as he saw his face flush white and there was a few tears that fell down the side of his face. “It’s not just a cup,” his voice was quiet as he looked at the broken pieces in his hand and saw the coffee stains on his trousers. 

Picking up the pieces Liam turned around, he grabbed a plastic cup that he saw on the counter and put the pieces in them. “Come on,” he said as he stood up, and helped Harry to his feet. “Come on mate,” he said to him as he took the pieces of coffee cup from his hand and put them in the plastic cup, leaving the mess for someone else to clean up. “We are going to get you home, pack a bag and I will drop you off at Louis’s.” 

“I have class…” Harry said to him in a ghost like tone. Liam shook his head. “Liam.” 

“I will watch out for Maggie if she shows up,” he promised him. “Why don’t you go and wait by my car and I will talk with Headmaster Bryant and you can send her the lesson plans.” 

Harry nodded his head as they walked down the hallway as a few students walked past him and to their classrooms. Liam handed him his keys to his car and Harry headed out of the building and to the car as Liam made his way into the office to let Headmaster Bryant what is going on and that he would be back in a few hours for his classes. 

****

***

****

Louis squinted his eyes as he looked up at the odd shaped stain on the ceiling that was above his bed. He couldn’t tell if it was from water damage from a leak in the roof. After all it was London, and the stereotypical idea of London was that is rained about 90% of the time. Cocking his head as his wet hair soaked his pillow he thought about how if it was water damage that he was probably dying from mold. But, he knew that wasn’t the case so he opened his eyes wider behind his glasses and realized that it kind of looked like a polar bear. Or maybe it was a unicorn. His mind began to wonder. Maybe the stain can from a happy couple who just found out about a new baby, or a new job, or an engagement and they popped open a bottle of champagne, the cork flying in the air as the bubbles hit the ceiling. 

Maybe, just maybe there was a fight, and someone threw something at the other party and it stained the ceiling. Maybe it was a playful water fight. Or maybe, Louis thought, maybe it was just a stain. A stain that would open up and swallow him into another dimension, another universe perhaps. One where Maggie was still with him, one where Emily wasn’t a bitch and one where he wasn’t pushing Harry away. Maybe if he tried hard enough he would just vanish. Like that boy in  _ Stranger Things. _

Rolling over onto his side, Louis looked at the clock and it wasn’t even 11. He heard Niall in the kitchen, no doubt he had run to tesco and had filled the fridge with milk, eggs and bread. He needed to get up and do something. He was happy that he had got into the shower today - he didn’t see the point. But the paper that was sitting in the kitchen with the court date on it told him differently. He wasn’t sure what happened. He had been okay. Strong, but as the days went on his soul seemed to just leave him. He was a shell of a human. Was he even a human at this point? He felt more like a bloody cyberman than anything else. His glassed moved on his face as he pushed the side of his head into the pillow and listened as he heard Niall’s feet shuffling around. 

_ Hm. The doorbell. _ He said to himself as he heard it go off. Waiting, he heard Niall and another set of feet walking up the steps. There was more shuffling and them some laughing. He knew that it wasn't Areyna. She was at work.  _ Jo _ . He thought to himself as he closed his eyes and listened harder to the faint sounds.  _ Fook it Lou get up _ . He hissed at himself. Angry that he had turned into this. Sitting up in his bed, he adjusted his glassed, pushing back the semi dry fringe he pushed himself up off the bed and stood up. His head began to spin as he took a few seconds before walking over to his closet, he grabbed the first pair of jeans he found and then an oversized jumper. He gently tossed the jumped on the bed as he shimmied into his jeans. Jumping to get them the final way up. He reached and grabbed the grey jumped and slipped it over his head before he slipped his mobile into his back pocket and left his bedroom. 

“How is he doing?” he heard Jo ask as there was some paper rustling. 

“As good as anyone could be,” Niall told her. “I know he knows that we are ‘babysitting him’ but I was there when Carly passed. I was there when he got the phone call about parents. I will be there for this storm and when he comes out in the end he will be happy and be with Magdalena,” he explained. Louis stopped on the steps as his chest grew tight and he felt as if he was going to vomit up the nothing that was in his stomach. “It’s complete horse shit what Emily is doing and if I could I would just,” Niall trailed off. 

“I feel you, Liam is worried about Harry. In the eleven years I have known Harry I have never seen him this happy and then this low about Louis and Maggie,” explained Jo as Louis took a deep breath in and continued the walk down the steps and head into the kitchen. “Hey!” Jo said with a wide smile on her face. Louis realized that she hadn’t been at work for she was in yogas and a sweatshirt, hair pulled back and no makeup on. 

“Hello,” Louis said as his barefeet moved through the kitchen and he put the kettle on. “I don’t need another set of eyes,” he joked as Niall’s face flushed. “I kid. I kid.” 

“You are an arse.” 

“Yep,” Louis told him with a smile. 

“No, I am here with gifts,” she said to him as she pointed to the first stack of containers with food in them. “These are the ones that go in the freezer,” she said laying her hand on the top of them and then pointed to the small stack. “These are for you, Harry and Charlie to eat so you don’t have to cook,” she explained to him. “Liam told me that I didn’t need to - I wanted to and I was bored today on my vacation day. So yeah,” she said as Louis grabbed a mug and his tea. “Is there anything else you need Lou?” 

He shook his head, “but thank you anyway.” 

“Let me get these put away,” she said grabbing the several containers and walking towards the fridge. “If you want I can make a run to Tesco if you need anything.” 

“I am good,” Louis said to her taking a deep breath in as the kettle whistled. “I’m sure that Niall had already gone for he will have wanted to munch on stuff whilst babysitting me,” he explained as he poured the water into his mug. “He did when he sat at a house with me when I processed my parents death.

“He knows me pretty well,” Niall laughed as Louis smiled and then turned and put the kettle down. “I promise that I am okay Jo. Harry will be home around 4 ish and then Niall will be free to go home. I will try and sleep for tomorrow is going to be a longer day than the past several have been.” 

Jo stood in the kitchen, Louis holding his mug in his hand and he looked off. His skin was greyish. Eyes sunken in, bloodshot, his face seemed hollow, his cheeks caved in. Hands seemed to shake as he stood there. “Okay, well I will put these in the fridge and then be on my way,” she said to Louis not sure what else to do. She moved quickly, and once everything was put away, she grabbed her bag, slipping it on her shoulder she gave Niall a hug and then gave a smile to Louis. Turning on her heels her trainers moved over the hardwood floors through the silent flat when she stopped. “Fuck this,” she said turning around. Walking over to Louis she wrapped her arms around his body and pulled him into a hug. “I love you Louis and know that Liam and I are here for you and Harry and Magdalena. Don’t give up hope. I know that everything will work out and she will be back.” 

Louis set his mug down on the kitchen table, wrapping his arms around his new friends body and gave her a squeeze. He said nothing, but Jo could tell by the way his breath was hitched he was holding back the tears as he stood there. She gave him a kiss on his temple, her hands on his arms she smiled, her left hand pushed the fringe from his eyes and her eyes stung as she looked at a man who was doing all he could to just stand at this moment. “Thank you,” Louis told her. “For the food, for the kind words and for also checking up on me.” 

“Right here,” Niall said as he pointed at himself. 

Louis stuck up his middle finger and gave Jo one more hug. “Thank Liam as well. I can show you out.” 

Jo shook her head, “I got it, thank you Lou,” she said to him. “Take care, and Niall, good job at Tesco.” Smiling proudly he gave her a thumbs up as she headed on down the steps and Lou shut the door. 

“What do you want to do mate?” Niall asked. “We can go out for a walk, maybe go to the park, how about we go to the store?” 

“Well,” Louis said with a fake smile as he walked back and grabbed his mug. “I’m not a bloody dog so I’m good with not doing those activities at the moment,” he told him. “How about telly? Or put on a film? You can eat some of the food Jo brought over. I don’t have much of an appetite so  you can have mine.” 

Niall huffed. 

“Fine,” he said finishing off his coffee. “Walk,” he said setting the cup down and walking over the hall closet. Banding down he grabbed his slid on shoes and grabbed his leather jacket. “Chop chop,” he said clapping his hands as Niall slipped on his trainers and grabbed his jacket. 

“Don’t be a dick,” he said pointing to Louis. 

“That is my middle name,” he snarked. “Come on, I need to get fresh air or I might die.” He turned on his heels and walked towards the door. “Niall, you don’t want me to die do you!?” He asked as he opened up the door and there stood Harry and Liam. “Holy fook did you get fired?” he asked his eyes wide behind his glasses as Harry stood there. “Did you to get fired?” 

Liam shook his head, “no,” he stammered. “No, no,” he said as Harry walked in and he followed with a duffle bag. 

“I am on sabbatical,” Harry explained as he set down his work bag and looked at Louis. “I am no fired.” 

Louis nodded, “so no walk, what is the bag for?” 

“I figured that it would be easier with the trail and everything so I packed a bag if that is okay?” Harry asked him. “I don’t want to…” he stopped as Louis wrapped his arms around Harry and kissed him on the lips.  

“Thank you,” he said to him. “You saved me from having to go for a walk,” he laughed as Harry tried not to smile and poked him. “Okay, you two can go. I don’t need a babysitter anymore.” 

Niall rolled his eyes at Louis as he made that remark. If he didn't love him, he would have punched him in the arm by now. “That is fine with me,” Niall joked with him as he went off and grabbed his bag. “I got the list of groceries you asked for Har. Jo dropped off food so you are good. Charlie called a few times to checked up on Lou and to ask about the costumes for  _ The Nativity  _ play.” 

“I will give her a call back,” Harry said toeing off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. “Thank you for helping out Nialler, it means a lot. Thank you for helping me out today,” he said to Liam and gave him a hug. Louis thanked Niall and Liam as they both headed on down the steps and made there way out of the flat. 

“You can bring your bag up to my room,” Louis told him. “I will make some tea and we can watch some telly?” 

Harry nodded as he picked up his bag. “Sounds fantastic to me,” he said, his socked feet walking through the kitchen and heading over to the carpeted steps and made her way up to Louis’s bedroom. “What are we going to watch?” 

“Film? A show?” Louis called up as Harry set his bag at the foot of his bed and made his way back down the steps. “We could watch  _ Friends _ ?

As his feet touched the ground he walked into the kitchen and walked up behind Louis as he wrapped his arms around his waist. Resting his chin on his shoulder he kissed his cheek and stood there holding him. “Did you get any sleep darling?” 

“No.” 

“Should you try and nap?” 

“I will be fine,” Louis assured him as he turned around, his back pressed against the counter, he wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and pressed his forehead against his. “You sure you didn’t get fired?” 

Harry laughed, “yes I am sure,” he assured him. “Why don’t I finish making the tea, you get friends set up and we can watch it and sleep if we need to,” he told Louis as he kissed his nose. Louis let go of Harry and walked over to the telly while Harry finished up the tea. While both men put on a brave face there mind was plagued with thoughts of Maggie, and the trail that loomed over their heads that began tomorrow morning. Neither of them wanted to bring it up, so like the adult men they were, they both acted as if they were okay. 

Harry didn’t bring up the shattered coffee mug, or that Maggie hasn’t been at school for several days and he was worried about her. Or that he felt as if this was all his fault for Maggie being taken due to his relationship with Louis. He felt as if he was losing Louis and that this trail was going to be the end of them. “Here you go love,” Harry said handing the cuppa to Louis as he took a seat next to him on the couch, he pulled his legs up to his chest as the show began. Louis sat there as Rachel came running into the coffee shop Louis took a sip of his tea as he looked at Harry, and he didn’t want to tell him that his chest felt as if it was on fire, and that whenever he was alone, or closed his eyes he heard his daughter’s screams. He felt her hands grabbing his shirt as they pulled her away from him and he felt another piece of his heart break. Or that when he tried to breath it felt like something was lodged in his throat and he was losing oxygen. But as he sat there, and his mind thought that he was afraid that his actions were going to drive Harry away - or that he would leave when his job came into play and he wouldn’t blame him if he chose to be able to survive than over a relationship. 

Both men sat there faking a smile as they watched the telly. Both men wanted the best for the man sitting next to them. Both more worried about the other, and worried about what tomorrow had in store for them and the fate of Maggie.

****

***

****

Rolling over, Harry’s body faced what he thought was the back of the couch, his feet hung over the side of the couch but he was going to move, once this episode was over. Not that he had watched the last several. He knew that Louis had gone up to sleep while he waited down there and enjoyed the rest of his tea. Which was now cold. Opening his eyes he jumped a bit as he saw Louis laying there, his eyes were closed but he knew that he wasn't asleep. Louis’s back was pressed up against the worn couch, as his feet rested on the armrest while his hand stuck out, he was using it as a pillow while his hand flipped off the side of the couch. “Babe, I thought you went to bed,” Harry said as he checked his watch and saw just how late it was. “We have to be up in five hours love.” 

“I couldn’t sleep,” Louis said. His voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes were still shut. “I tried.”

Sitting up, Harry pushed the fringe from his eyes and kissed his temples, “oh darling,” he said his voice was soft as he kissed Louis’s nose. The entire flat was dark minus the light coming off the telly screen. “Come on, let us head up to sleep,” he said as his feet landed on the ground and he nudged Louis who finally opened up his eyes and looked at him with a small smile. “Why couldn’t you sleep?” 

Louis shrugged as he sat up and watched Harry walk over to turn off the telly. “I just couldn’t.” 

Harry stopped, turning he looked at Louis, he knew the answer. Walking back over to Louis, he placed his hands on the side of the sides of his face and kissed him on the forehead. “I understand, come on, let’s get some real sleep,” he told him, turning the telly off and extending his hand out to help him off the couch. “What time were you thinking of getting up?” 

“If I ever sleep?” Louis asked him as they maneuvered in the dark towards the stairs where the small light from Louis’s bedroom shown. The flat was so silent and it was hard for either of them to get use to. The spirit of Maggie was gone and it seemed to be crushing Louis, even though he wouldn’t admit to it. “I was thinking about two. I could shower, shave and get ready.” 

“Okay,” Harry said as he turned around and smiled at Louis. “I will wake up when you do and shower after if that is okay with you. Or I can go and use the spare bathroom.” 

Walking into the bedroom as his feet shuffled to the side of his bed. “Don’t be stupid,” Louis told as he took off his glasses before he flopped down face first onto the bed. His eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep and stung from the crying he had been doing when Harry wasn’t around. “I don’t think that I will be able to sleep,” his voice muffled by the pillow. Harry unbuttoned his shirt and laid it on his bag as he grabbed his worn out white t-shirt. He turned and watched as Louis’s eyes closed and his breathing steadied. Slipping out of his jeans Harry watched as Louis’s face seemed to settle and he was asleep in a way. Harry quietly walked over and turned off the light, the bedroom went dark, feeling around he carefully made his way over to the bed. Crawling in next to Louis his head rested on the pillow and his eyes closed faster than he ever thought. 

“I love you,” Louis said his voice was soft as he rolled over, his arms wrapped around Harry’s waist and his legs around his. 

Turning his head, he kissed Louis on his nose. “I love you to,” he whispered back to him. “Just sleep.” 

Louis mumbled something into Harry’s back and he rested his head on his shoulders and Harry listened to him as his breathing steadied and he drifted to sleep. Harry took a deep breath in and listened, he left his mind drift to sleep as he laid there, feeling better about the day with Louis’s body wrapped around him. He wasn’t sure if he was going to fully sleep but having his body this relaxed made him feel better about all that was going to happen tomorrow. 

The rest of the night and the early morning was all a blur. Both Harry and Louis woke up, showered and got dressed. They walked to and from past each other as they got ready for the trial. Harry was able to get dressed and looked like he would if he was going to a staff meeting. While Louis, he looked like Louis again. His face was cleanly shaven, hair washed, dried and styled back. As well as he was dressed in clothes that were clean and wrinkle free. Both men stood in the bedroom, dressed in their suits as they waited for Charlie to arrive. Louis smiled behind his glassed as he took a deep breath and kissed him on the nose. 

“Charlie is here,” Harry said as the doorbell rang. “Come on,” he said turning on his heels and headed on out of the steps and grabbed their jackets and headed on down to the car. With each step Louis felt as if he was walking to his own funeral. That when he walked into the courthouse that he would see his body in a casket dead. 

The drive seemed to be years long. As Charlie drove Harry sat and tapped on his knee and Louis had his nose in his mobile device, no one had words to speak about what they were feeling, or what they wanted to happen today. They didn’t want to jinx it, or get there hopes up incase for some odd reason Emily won. Harry looked in the sideview mirror at Louis. His face was sullen and still as they drove. Just like a dog freaks out when they see they are at the vet Louis’s head popped up and his face went white. Charlie pulled the car into a spot and parked it as they all sat there. 

“I will give you a moment. I will go and talk to Douglas,” Charlie said as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. “Don’t be too long.” Getting out of the car she handed the keys over to Harry and shut the door. There was a stillness as both men sat there. 

“Lou,” Harry said, unbuckling his seatbelt and turned around, he decided to crawl into the back of the car and sat down next to Louis. Reaching over he took his hand with his and gave it a soft kiss. “I love you. We are going to get through this,” he promised him with another kiss on his hand. “I just want you to know that you need to breath, I love you. I will do whatever I can to help you get through this. I love you,” he said over and over again. “This is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but this is just something that we will walk through together. Me and you. Always. Maggie will come home.” 

Louis rested his head on Harry’s shoulder, kissing his hand he closed his eyes and took a deep breathe in. “I couldn’t do this without you,” Louis paused as he lifted his head and looked at Harry. “Are you ready?” 

“Yes, are you?” 

“No. But there is nothing that I can do to stop me from being ready,” he laughed. “Okay, let’s head in.” 

Both men opened up the doors of the car and headed out of them. Shutting the door, Harry walked around the car, took Louis’s hand and they both headed into the courthouse as a united front. 


	19. Thomlinson vs. Gilbert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has read, commented, liked and all the above! Your comments always make me smile when I read them. While, this one is a shorter chapter the next few that will be posted are going to be longer - which means it will take a bit longer to write. I will do my best to get them up as soon as I can but my work life the next few weeks is also crazy along with personal stuff going on. So thank you all for your patience and understanding. 
> 
> If you are interested on the weird crap that I tweet about (I try and be as active on that one as my personal one) you can follow me at @violet_janou. 
> 
> XO  
> Vi

Louis felt small as he stood there in the middle of the courthouse. Most of his life he had to deal with that his sister was taller than him (he blamed his father for getting his genes and not his mother’s). But, as he stood there today he felt a different kind a small - it’s the kind you feel when you walk into a room and everyone has a PHD and you have your basic four year degree. Or the way you feel when people are talking about a topic that you have never heard or (and more than not care to hear about). His entire being seemed to have been shrunken down, leaving him standing there with a bunch of giants and he was about the size of an ant. To add to the stress, he knew that Maggie was here and he couldn’t touch or speak to his daughter. Around him baristas, and lawyers, judges, and every other type of person who worked for the courthouse walked around him. He saw some happy faces of people who had just won a case, and there were some tear stained ones as well for those who had lost a case. But Louis, he just stood there, his head down at his shoes as he told his body to move. But it stood there, as if quicksand had engulfed his feet refusing to let him go. 

Everything around him seemed so big, loud and important while he was there. A nobody, with a case that didn’t matter and the judge would side with Emily for the simple fact he just didn’t like the way Louis looked. 

As he stood there Louis heard Harry speaking to Charlotte, “have you seen Douglas?” his voice was calm and steady as he spoke. He was glad for he knew that one he opened his mouth it was either going to be word vomit, actual vomit or the sounds of a dying goat. 

“No,” Charlie said as she turned around and tried to spot him in the crowd. “Wait, there he is,” she said. With that Louis lifted his head to see Douglas walking full speed towards them, his blue suit was pressed, briefcase in hand and his cheeks flushed as he zig zagged through the people to reach Louis. 

“So, we have a change of plans,” Douglas said to Louis as he took a long breath between each word he spoke. “We are going to meet with the judge. He is going to hear both sides and then explain how the trail will work. He will then say when we will start.” 

Louis shook his head, “we aren’t starting. Now?” 

Douglas shook his head. 

“Why. Why… Why?” Louis stuttered. 

“The Gilbert’s have a dirty lawyer,” he explained to him as he turned on his heels and began to walk from where he came from. Louis, finally able to move his feet followed him as Harry’s long legs caught up and walked next to Louis as Charlie struggled behind in her heels. “Charlotte, can you find the Horan’s, Mr. Payne and his lovely girlfriend and let them know that there was a change in plans, we are sorry but we can’t stop and make talk,” Douglas asked as he stopped causing Louis and Harry to almost run into him. Charlie nodded her head, she mouthed  _ I love you big brother  _ to Louis before pulling out her mobile and heading in another direction to fine everyone. 

“So, who is all going to be seen by the judge then?” 

“Louis, the Gilbert’s and the lawyers. The judge wanted to clear a few things up before Maggie is dragged through this curious show caused by Emily,” explained Douglas as he looked at the lift line, seeing that it was to long he made a b line for the stairs. “A lot of times cases do this if there are children involved, but there is usually a warning. This time the lawyer did it for an element of surprise, but I was ready.” 

“Good,” Louis said as he took a deep breath and took the marble steps two at a time, his mind was foggy about what was going on. He followed Douglas but everything else seemed to be a blur. The people who walked past him seemed to be just blobs. The walls seemed to move with every step and his entire world seemed to be caving in on him. As his chest tightened up he felt Harry’s fingers slip between his and give his hand a squeeze. 

As they turned a corner Louis heart stopped as he saw Maggie standing there with Emily and the social worker. It had been almost a week and his heart seemed to shatter all over again as he saw how miserable she was. She stood there, he hair was pulled back in a ribbon, she had a light pink poofy dress on, mary jane shoes and a look of hurt in her face. She smiled from the side of mouth at her father as Emily’s grip on her arm grew tighter and tighter. 

“I will be right here,” Harry whispered to Louis as they came to a stop in front of the judges chambers. 

“We will wait out here to,” said the woman who was standing next to Maggie. She turned and smiled down, her tone changed as she spoke to her like a baby, “we will let the adult make the decisions about your future.” 

Harry wanted to give the women a lesson about how to speak to children and not make them seem as if they were stupid or unimportant. But he would save that soapbox lecture for another time when Maggie’s life wasn’t on the line. But he stood there, giving Louis a small smile as the door opened and all six adults entered. 

Maggie waved at Harry and he smiled back at her. 

“Watch what you do or say sir,” the woman said as Harry pressed his lips together and smiled at her praying that someone would strike her down with lightening. 

inside the chambers Louis had flashbacks to being called into the headmaster's office back when he was young, scrappy and a trouble maker. Only this time, he wasn’t going to have to stay after school and help pick up rubbish, his daughter’s life was the end goal. The judge sat behind his oak desk looking down at some papers. He waved them over and all six took a few steps closer. Louis’s shoes moved over the tan carpet that was from wall to wall. Bumping up to the builtin bookcases on the left side of the office. The bookcase was filled with law books amongst other things. The other side was painted a calming blueish color that paired well with the dark wood that seemed to engulf the entire chamber. 

“So,” the judge said as he looked up from the papers, his right hand removed his glasses. “This is how this is going to work,” he explained to them. “We are determining where Magdalena Carly Tomlinson will be living and who has guardianship over her until she is of age.” 

“Your honor,” Emily said as he held up a hand. “I fear that Magdalena even being in the same room as that man will cause her to act out. It took us several days to calm her down from when he took her away from the sinful hell hole she was living in. Since then she hasn’t uttered a single word to myself of her grandfather.” 

Taking a deep breath Louis counted to ten. 

_ One. Two. Three _ . 

“He lives in sin, and he has men coming in and out and could we just settle it here and now. Magdalena should be with someone who can provide, love and care for her the proper way. Ethiclly and morally.” 

_ Four. Five Six _ . 

“I just don’t want her to be tormented with the sight of him. I know just for the few moments she has seen him will undo all the work we did to get her to where she is now.    
  
_ Seven Eight. Nine _ . 

“Mrs. Gilbert, I would advise you to stop before I take her out of your custody as well,” the judge told her and she shut up. He looked at Emily, and with a long pause Louis had a hope that he saw through her facade that she was putting on for them. He ignored what she had to say and kept on talking, “I will not let this get messy for that young girl. You three,” he pointed to Emily, Wayne and Louis. “On Monday next week, we will call the character witnesses from the prosecutor's side, then the next day we will here from the defendant's side. The next day we will have Magdalena, Mr. Tomlinson, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert on the stand to answer questions,” he explained. “If I need more I will seek more witnesses.” 

Louis nodded as head as Emily stood there with a snark on her face. 

“Now,” he said. “I will see you both Monday at 8am,” he said. “You can leave now, if you have any further questions talk with your lawyers,” he said his face was sullen as he put his glasses back on his face. Standing up he motioned towards the door. Emily walked out first, Wayne followed by their lawyer. Louis was a few steps behind his lawyer as they left the chambers. He wasn’t sure if he should be happy that there was time, or the fact he now had to spend an entire week sitting in his thoughts at home. As soon as his shoes hit the hardwood floors, Louis, out of habit turned around and looked at his daughter, she was standing there, her face thinning out like his own. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, but he stood there, no movement. Maggie took a step towards her father when Emily’s hand shot across her body and blocked her. 

Her head almost turned all the way around like one would see in the  _ Exorcist _ film. “Don’t touch her,” Emily hissed as she walked in front of Louis and blocked him from the view of his child. “I will have the police called.” 

Louis held his hands up in the air and stood there as Wayne stood and did nothing to stop his wife from sounding like an idiot.  “You can call off the dogs, and you can back off my arse okay.” 

He heard Maggie snicker before Emily and it made his heart happy for a split moment in time. 

“You are just asking for the judge to side with me,” she hissed back at him. “Come on darling. We need to leave now,” she took Maggie by the wrist. She walked a few feet before Maggie dropped to the ground, dead weight and was able to break free. Pushing herself up, he heard a rip in the dress she had on but did did nothing. Before Emily could even grab her she was wrapping her arms around Louis’s neck as he kneeled down to hug his daughter. 

“I love you my darling,” he whispered to her as Emily ran over and pulled her off of him. “I will get you back,” he said as Emily pulled her away from him. Standing up she stood toe to toe with Louis. He held his hand out to stop Harry from pouncing, he knew that if he asked he would have ripped her heart out and shoved it down her throat already. 

“That brat won’t talk to us. Just does her homework and reads. Won’t want telly. Nothing. If you told her to starve herself then she will die and you will be left with nothing,” she hissed at him. “And tell that man that his homework is to hard for her and that as her parent I’m going to hold her back a year and have her attend a proper school where she can learn what she needs to be a productive young lady in society.” 

“Or is it too hard for you to understand?” Harry said as he stepped up behind Louis. 

“You know that you are the reason for this,” she snipped as Wayne took Maggie and they headed back down to the lobby. “You are the reason that we needed to step in. Louis was already trouble when he lied and told our daughter he was straight just to knock her up. Now you are living in sin and going to what give him AIDS?” 

Louis took a step forward and pointed at Emily, “Now,” his tone went from angry to almost demon like. He felt as if there was a fire that was building up and when he opened it up he was going to kill everyone who was in his path. “You can talk as much shit about me as you want to Emily but never, ever say anything against Harry or my daughter,” he said as he suit began to stick to him from the sweat that was on his back from the stress of this day and the anger that was boiling over inside of him. Shifting his weight on his feet he looked Emily down. “I don’t care what you say Emily. I love my daughter. I love this man right here,” he reached out behind him and grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him next to him. “I will fight all day and all night for them, no matter what it is for. So, while you stand here and think that you know everything and have the answers, you don’t. I will be here tomorrow, and everyday. Fighting.” 

Smiling, he took a deep breathe in and walked past her, his head held high and left her there to stand there dumbfounded. Harry’s legs, though longer than Louis’s were walking at top speed as they made there way down the steps and into the lobby. Both men almost out of breath as there feet hit the marble floors of the lobby. Harry caught Charlie’s eyes as she stood up and walked over to them as quick as she could. 

“What happened?” she asked as she ran after Harry who was being dragged out of the building by Louis. “Or we can talk in the car,” she said to herself as her shoes clicked and she prayed that the heels wouldn’t break, and if they did she would just kill her brother. As soon as the door were shoved open Louis was halfway down the steps of the courthouse. Charlie stopped at the top, her chest hurt from running, “I need to fucking workout,” she said as she picked up her left foot, slipping her shoes off her bare foot hit the pavement as she slipped the right one off to be able to safely follow her brother and Harry to the car. As she ran through the car park she smiled at the people and nodded to be polite as she tried to catch up to her brother. Reaching the car Charlie took a deep breath in, her hand that was free of shoes rested on the boot of the car. “What the hell was that for?” 

“I’m driving,” Louis said as he held out his hand for the keys. Charlie looked at her brother. “Charlotte Rene give me the goddamn keys to the fooking car,” he hissed at her. Her blue eyes grew wide as she handed over the keys. She was also annoyed that she never got the proper answer to her question on why her brother was acting off. Even for him. 

She turned to Harry, “you can ride in the front,” she said opening up the car door and slid into the back. Harry stood there as the car turned on and he knew that if he didn’t get in now Louis would drive away without him. Getting into the car he shut the door and was barely able to get his seatbelt on before Louis put the car into reverse and sped out of the car park and made his way home. The entire car ride was silent. Harry held onto the side of the car for his dear life as Louis speed down the street. Harry tried to open his mouth and say something to Louis but then he shut it and pressed his lips together. He wasn’t sure if this was the time for talking. He wanted to know what happened in the chambers. He knew that if what happened outside was an indication then he was worried. His body moved as Louis took a sharp turn and he heard Charlie suck the air out of the car as she closed her eyes and felt as if she was going to die. 

“Lou….” 

Louis’s eyes never left the road, he just hissed, “You are fine.” He took another sharp turn down the street where his flat was. As the car came to a halt Harry braced himself against the dashboard as his entire body shot forward, the seat belt locking as it pulled him back into his seat. “Here,” Louis said throwing the car into park, he turned off the car and tossed the keys to Harry as he got out of the car and headed on up to the front door. 

“What is happening?” Charlotte asked Harry as she unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted forward and placed her hand on Harry’s arm. “Did he say anything to you?” 

Harry shook his head, “he grabbed my hand and pulled me down the steps, through the lobby and to the car,” he explained to her. “Some words happened once he left the chambers but I’m not sure what happened inside,” explained Harry as he ran his hands through his hair and sat in the car as he watched Louis walk into the flat, the door slamming behind him. “I don’t know what to do Charlotte….” 

She took a deep breath in, “I don’t know either Harry. I don’t know either.” 

Both of them waiter a few more moments before they got out of the car and headed into the flat. Both walked in, Harry shut the door, before he was even able to take a deep breathe in he heard a loud bang and both of them took up the steps. Harry took them two at a time, his hands on the wall as he made the turn and lept through the door, his eyes turned and looked around to see that he wasn’t on the first floor. “Louis!?” Harry called out as Charlie walked into the flat as she took a deep breath in trying as Harry took off running up the steps, his shoes clicked on the hardwood floor as he took the steps to Louis’s room by two. As he made it to the small landing, he reached out, his hand grabbed the door knob. As he went to turn it his entire body ran right into the door. As his nose, forehead and entire body slammed into the door, and bounded back as he heard glass crashing. “Louis,” Harry said as another loud bang and crash. “Lou, darling, open up,” he said his hand on the doorknob and wiggled it. 

“Go away!” he yelled as he grunted and there was another thud. 

Harry wasn’t going to listen to him. “Louis….” he said as he adjusted the weight on the balls of his feet as his new dress boots seemed to stand out next to the worn carpet in the flat. He didn’t understand what was going on, when Louis left the chambers he was fine. And the verbal back and forth with Emily was nothing new to him in the short time he had seen them interact. 

“GO THE FOOK HOME!” his voice rose as Harry heard Charlie stop walking. “I don’t need this now,” he said. 

“Need what?” Harry asked him back as his hand fell to his side and stood there, the toe of his shoes touching the door. He wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easy. For his sake and Louis’s - he wasn’t going to be able to hide behind a god damn door. 

“For fook sake!?!” he yelled as Harry jolted back as he heard a crashing on the door. “Go home! Go down the street, I don’t care just GO AWAY!” he yelled. 

Harry stood there taken back by the words that were coming from his mouth. For the first time he wasn’t going to run - while he wanted to and his body began to feel when he was with his ex, but this was different. The words coming from Louis were coming from another part, a part where he was frustrated, tired, hungry, sleep deprived and hurting. He was suffering in a personal hell he built for himself in his mind and he wouldn’t be able to leave until he was with his daughter. A hell that was so bad it was causing him to wither away to nothing, physically and mentally. As Harry stood there he heard Charlie putting the kettle on, and he heard pillows being thrown around, no doubt a mattress that one's laid on the box spring was no half on the ground. Books thrown about, clothes hanging from the ceiling from being tossed from wherever he could grab. 

“No,” Harry finally told him, his voice was sound and still. It didn’t come off angry or rude. But informative and unchanging. 

There was a pause. 

“Harry I don’t have time to argue with you,” Louis voice cracked as he spoke. “Can you just listen and just go. I don’t want to be around anyone. Just go. You have done enough okay.” 

“Enough? What the hell does that mean?” Harry yelled through the door as rage filled up in his chest. “Enough being what Louis?” 

“Just. Just… just enough!” hissed Louis as there was a thud on the door. 

“Fuck this!” Harry yelled his voice rose as he took his fist and pounded on the door. “You can’t just run back into the house and think that you are the only who is affected by this!” 

He heard a laugh on the other side of the door. “She is my daughter!” 

****

Turning around Harry’s hands flew to his head as he scoffed at that comment. “And you don’t think that I see Maggie as my daughter, that I don’t love her and care about her and that this whole circus of fucking bollocks that Emily is causing is tearing my heart up, and making me feel sick inside!” Harry yelled as hot tears fell down the side of his face. “I love her so fucking much Louis and it’s killing me that you are in so much pain right now and you won’t fucking let me in!” 

Pressing his back up against the wall next to the door he stood there. Harry pushed his loose hairs back onto his head as he took a seat on the ground, his back pressed up against the wallpapered wall. He pulled his legs up to his chest as he felt the tears falling down the side of his face - his eyes stung as his entire body seemed to just shake with frustration. “Just let me in,” the words were said to himself. His eyes closed and he cold see it now. Louis giving him his bag, telling him to leave. Saying he didn’t want to see him ever again. 

The flat was still. Harry heard his heart racing in his chest as Louis’s bedroom door slowly opened, turning his head he looked over and saw Louis who was sitting on the ground on the opposite side. His face was red, eyes swollen and his entire appearance was disheveled from his fit of Hulk like rage in his room. 

“You love her?” Louis asked as his voice cracked. “Love her in that way?” 

Harry nodded. “Like my own daughter Lou, you know that,” he told him. “What happened in the chambers?” 

Louis shrugged. 

Harry cocked his head and looked at him. 

“Emily lied. It just,” he stopped to gather his thoughts. “Seeing Maggie and not being able to - to speak to her. To hug her. To have someone call you a liar, and that you sleep around with men and that you are the reason that she has been taken away from you.” Harry took a deep breath in as he listened to Louis talk to him. “I started to second guess myself and everything that I’ve done has been leading up to this. And that I… I… I failed her.” 

“Lou….” Harry said as he lost all ability to speak. 

Louis just sat there, his entire face seemed to have aged several years. His once green blue eyes now red and puffy. He hadn’t eaten in days so his cheeks were caved in, they showed off his high cheek bones but he looked like a corpse almost. “I don’t want you to leave,” he told him. “I freaked out - I got in my fooking head,” he said wrapping his arms around his legs as he sat against the wall in a ball almost. “I... god I did it again.” 

Harry pushed himself up off the ground and walked into Louis’s bedroom. He saw a few things thrown around, mainly pillows and clothes. A few photographs and their frames were casualties of the pillows but nothing that couldn’t be fixed or cleaned up. Stepping over the glass, Harry stretched his hand out Louis grabbed in. Pulling Louis up off the ground, Harry maneuvered over the items and took a seat on the unmade foot of the bed. Harry turned his body and smiled at Louis, his hand rose as he pushed the fringe out of his eyes, leaning forward he gave him a kiss on the temple. 

“I am not going anywhere,” he assured Louis again. “You and Maggie are my life. I’m not going to run away after you have one freak out, but I need you to know that you can cry, you can be angry but don’t shut me out,” he explained to him as Louis blinked behind his glasses. “I know this isn’t something that is ideal, fuck it’s not something I wish on my worst enemy,” he explained to him. “I want to be there to be the shoulder you cry on, I want to be someone you can yell at when angry and can get it all out of your system and then feel better.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah, and I want to be able to do the same for you,” he said with a small smile. “No matter how long this takes, no matter the shit that Emily tries you have a support group behind you. Me, Charlie, Niall, Areyna, Liam, Jo.” 

Louis laid his head on Harry’s shoulder and sat there. Both men took about twenty minutes and just sat in the silence. Nothing was going through either of their heads but being together. Harry’s heart stopped breaking for a moment, Louis felt confident for the first time since Maggie was taken from him. “Now, why don’t you change, we can clean up and then I will make some tea and food for us and Charlie,” Harry told him. “What time do we have to be at the courthouse tomorrow?” 

“Monday.” 

Leaning back Harry looked at Louis confused, “But today is Monday…..” he trailed off. “What happened?” 

“Emily I’m sure,” he said his voice falling flat as he said her name. “But Monday we have to be there at 8am.”   
****  
“And we will be there ready to fight,” Harry added with a kiss on the top of Louis’s head.    



	20. Trial Day 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is a bit different. It is written like the transcripts from a court hearing.
> 
> I am no lawyer. All I know about the law is from the shows I watch and even less about the law in England (my extent of knowledge is Sherlock and Broadchurch). So I'm sorry if how inaccurate it is. 
> 
> I also googled transcripts and based my chapter off of that. 
> 
> Thank you all for your kind comments, words of encouragement and for reading! 
> 
> XO

21.12.2017.  
Trial #237 Tomlinson vs. Gilbert  
8:07am

Judge Waters  
Today we are here to decide where Magdalena Carly Tomlinson will live and who will be her guardians until she is of age and decides to move otherwise. We will all conduct ourselves with honor and respect. If someone gets out of line I will have you removed without hesitation. We are going to listen to the prosecutor's side. They will call the witnesses and then the defendant will cross examine them. We will have a recess and then have the defendant's side call up their witnesses and the prosecutors will cross examine. Mr. Foyle is you would like to call your first witness us.

S. Foyle stands up.

S. Foyle  
I would like to call up Mr. Wayne Gilbert.

W. Gilbert walks to bench.  
W. Gilbert takes oath and seat.

S. Foyle  
When did your daughter first meet Mr. Tomlinson?

W. Gilbert  
My daughter met that man when they were in Uni. She didn't tell us much about her personal life. That was until she brought him home as she was almost done with her time and told us she was with child and he was the father.

S. Foyle  
Did they say why?

W. Gilbert  
My daughter was under this impression that she was going to die from the cancer she had on and off since she was 16. We told her that she was worried about nothing and she was throwing her entire life away by doing this unwed.

S. Foyle  
Why didn't they marry?

W. Gilbert  
Mr. Tomlinson didn't tell our daughter that he was a right poofter.

Judge Waters  
Watch your language Mr. Gilbert. We are not in the 1950's anymore.

W. Gilbert  
After that we told her to leave him, but she was furious with us. He manipulated our daughter, twisted her mind and told her that we were terrible people. That we should not be a part of her life and tore our family apart.

S. Foyle  
What happened when your daughter gave birth?

W. Gilbert  
Nothing. We didn't even get to see our granddaughter. Louis deemed that we were to dangerous. We saw her once before our daughter died. Then Louis took her away and travel around dangerous parts of South America for years. No phone calls. No letters. Nothing to inform us that our granddaughter was alive and well.

S. Foyle  
Did you attempt to reach out to Mr. Tomlinson?

W. Gilbert  
Many times. We never got a reply. When we talked with the agency about where he was located they said he traveled a lot. Never did we get a letter back. He wanted to poison Magdalena's mind and he had been able to do that until now. We just want her to have a good life. A life where she can prosper.

S. Foyle  
And you don't think she can do that with her father?

W. Gilbert  
No

S. Foyle  
Why is that?

W. Gilbert  
For the simple fact the life he lives. He has men coming in and out, up until now. He then seduced Magdalena's teacher for who knows why. We want her in a good school. Send to Uni and away from a life where she lives in a sub par flat. We want her to do something with her life like our daughter wanted. Her father is nothing more than a nurse, who is dating a school teacher. There is no chance for her move up in life.

S. Foyle  
That is all Mr. Gilbert.

S. Foyle sits down.  
D. Smith stands up.

D. Smith  
Mr. Gilbert, you said that your daughter thought she was worried she might get sick. When in fact she was sick with cancer and had been like you said on and off since she was 16.

W. Gilbert  
She was fine. She kept taking medication and that is what made her sick.

D. Smith  
What medicine was she taking?

W. Gilbert  
I don't' know the names off the top of my head. But they were what hurt her.

D. Smith  
What was your relationship like with your daughter before she met Mr. Tomlinson?

W. Gilbert  
Fine. Better when she was younger.

D. Smith  
What changed?

W. Gilbert  
She grew up. She thought her mother and I were to religious and she didn't want any of it. We raised her to be better than this - we knew that she had been lied to and her views were twisted. She was a sweet girl.

D. Smith  
Why didn't you try and get Maggie while her mother was alive? Why now?

W. Gilbert  
Carly was the only saving grace for that young woman. Louis has done nothing but drug her, and lie to her that she is sick like her mother.

D. Smith  
You mean, the HCM that you and Mrs. Gilbert claim she doesn't have?

S. Foyle  
Objection!

Judge Waters  
Dismissed.

D. Smith  
While, you said Mr. Tomlinson has been an absent father, what made this come to light?

W. Gilbert  
He took her to South America for his own gain.

D. Smith  
He worked down there helping those who need it. While he did so Maggie was in schools set up by the foundation that gave more than an excellent education which has been shown in her studies at the school she is in now. Maggie is in a reading program three levels above where she should be, along with her writing and other courses.

W. Gilbert  
The work has been given to her for the fact Louis has been having his way with her teacher!

D. Smith  
While that might be true, I would like to give the papers of Maggie for the judge to look at and determine for himself. While you said you want Maggie to have a proper home, is that one where you go and work and Mrs. Gilbert stays at home?

W. Gilbert  
Yes.

D. Smith  
And do you think this is the only way for her to have that?

W. Gilbert  
Yes.

D. Smith  
No further questions.

W. Gilbert walks back to seat.

S. Foyle  
I would like to call up a teacher from the school. Ms. Mary Fraser

M. Fraser makes her way to the stand.  
M. Fraser takes her oath and sits down.

S. Foyle  
Now Ms. Mary, what is your relation to this case?

M. Fraser  
I was a student teacher at the school. I would see Mr. Styles and how he acted with Maggie. I would overhear him in the office telling Mr. Payne how he was giving this student better grades so he could met her father and possibly, you know.

S. Foyle  
No further questions.

Judge Waters  
Mr. Smith?

D. Smith stands up  
S. Foyle takes a seat.

D. Smith  
You know lying under oath is a federal offence Ms. Mary

M. Fraser  
Yes

D. Smith  
So, what grades did Mr. Styles change?

M. Fraser  
An English paper.

D. Smith  
We had given all of Maggie papers to Headmaster Bryant and she had graded them. Right here are the two grades that contrast and if you notice the marks are almost the same, minus the one where Mr. Styles took down a few other marks for some grammar while Headmaster Bryant didn't. Isn't it true that you were removed from the school due to you wanting to have an inappropriate relationship with the teacher Mr. Payne?

M. Fraser  
Possibly

D. Smith  
And was this one final way for you to get back at him for reporting you?

M. Fraser.  
Possibly

D. Smith  
No further questions.

D. Smith walks back and takes a seat.  
M. Fraser walks back and takes her seat.

S. Foyle  
I would like to call up Doctor Eliza Coffeey.

E. Coffeey makes her way to the stand.  
E. Coffeey takes her oath and sits down

S. Foyle  
You have given Magdalena an exam to make sure she in deed doesn't have HCM

E. Coffeey  
Correct.

S. Foyle  
What was the point of faking this illness? ?

E. Coffeey  
So that the young Ms. Gilbert would stay with Mr. Tomlinson and they would be able to manipulate their child at a young age to make sure she never left or had a life worth living.

S. Foyle  
Here are the documents of the tests that were run. You can see that she is fine and that is one more life that is proof that Magdalena should be with her grandparents in order to live a life. No further questions.

S. Foyle takes seat.  
D. Smith stands up.

D. Smith  
How long have you worked for the Gilberts?

E. Coffeey  
I was Carly's doctor.

D. Smith  
The one who said she didn't have cancer?

E. Coffeey  
It was a mistake. But when she came to me she just has a cist. There was no need to further look into it. When she came back and it was obvious that it was more than a cist we went on to do tests.

D. Smith  
Notes. Thank you Dr. Coffeey. Oh - one more thing. When did you get your license back? I know they had it revoked for a few months.

E. Coffeey  
Wrongly accused of malpractice.

D. Smith.  
Ta. No further questions.

Judge Waters  
We will take a half hour recess and come back.

Recess.

  
***

16.12.2017  
Trial #237 Tomlinson vs. Gilbert  
11:02 am

Judge Waters  
Now we will hear from the defense. Mr. Smith please call your first witness to the stand.

D. Smith stands up.

D. Smith  
I would like to call up Headmaster Isabella Bryant to the stand.

I. Bryant makes her way to the stand.  
I. Bryant takes her oath and sits down

D. Smith  
Headmaster Bryant, how would you describe Magdalena at the school?

I. Bryant  
Quiet at first. She was a bit distant but she has made friends and has been a very fruitful student. She is always willing to help, even when she comes into the office on errand for a teacher. She made close friends and her academics speak for themselves that her father has always been one to put emphasis on it. But more than that he has been so active in the school.

D. Smith  
How so?

I. Bryant  
If there is a class party he would be there. A parent meeting and he was there. Mr. Tomlinson wanted to know what was going on in the school, in the classroom and to help. He came in and did the reading days we had in the library, he also was helping with the Nativity play at school.

D. Smith  
And when Mr. Tomlinson was at these functions were his actions ever one to be deemed inappropriate?

I. Bryant  
No (Laughs) Oh no, they were nice to each other but they never made it seem they were together. Harry never talked about it either whilst he was at work. Both them kept there personal life off school grounds.

D. Smith  
While I know the Gilberts have insisted that Magdalena has a proper education, now has she been in school since she was taken out of Louis's care.

I. Bryant  
None. We have sent the coursework for Maggie to do - none had been turned in. Only a phone call declaring that the work was to hard and that they refused for her to be doing work that was above her level of education.

D. Smith  
That is all. Thank you Headmaster.

D. Smith takes a seat.  
S. Foyle stands up.

S. Foyle  
Has Mr. Styles ever dated another parent?

I. Bryant  
Lord no. And when he did start to date Mr. Tomlinson he came and talked with me. He wanted me to know that he wasn't going to let his feelings get in the way of how Maggie did and that if I ever felt that I would be more than willing to check her course work and see that it was graded properly. It always was. I would check random pieces as would other teather's.

S. Foyle  
The school always teacher and parent relationships.

I. Bryant  
Never stated anything against it

S. Foyle  
And you were okay with this?

I. Bryant  
Yes. As I stated before. It never got in the way.

S. Foyle  
No further questions.

Bryant stands up and walks back to her seat.  
D. Smith stands up.

D. Smith  
I would like to now call up Dr. Niall Horan. He has been a friend of Mr. Tomlinson since they were young, as well as he knew Carly and has been in Maggie's life since she was born.

N. Horan makes her way to the stand.  
N. Horan takes her oath and sits down

D. Smith  
Dr. Horan, when did you first meet Louis?

N. Horan  
We met in A levels. He was brilliant and we got on well. He was a bit crazy and I was an only child so it was nice to have someone around like a brother. I met Carly when we were in Uni. She was my now wife, then girlfriend's dear friend and we all go on.

D. Smith  
Did you always know about Mr. Tomlinson's sexual orientation?

N. Horan  
Yes. I knew after a few weeks in A Levels but I waited for him to tell me. I don't give a bloody fudge. I was the first person that they told when they decided to have a baby. I remember it, they were so bloody excited. They came to our flat, sat us down and told us they had been thinking about it for a while now. Carly had been to a doctor and they said she would have a chance even after all her chemo that she would be able to have a child. She knew that this was the chance and she was never one to settle down in a traditional way. (laughs and smiles). I believe that Louis and Carly were soulmates. Not in the way that her parents 'fink that soulmates are. They had this connection and Louis has always wanted to be a father - I wasn't sure who was more thrilled Carly or him. Carly knew from the first day she met him - we were out getting pizza and she made a comment 'now which ones of these sexy spry young men do you want to bone' and while I laughed, Areyna's face went red and Lou wanted to die. She didn't care. She loved him nonetheless.

D. Smith  
Did Louis ever speak ill of Carly's parents?

N. Horan.  
Sure. The way they treated their daughter was terrible. They cut her off when they found out she was pregnant. They said she was damaged goods and that was it. He never would speak ill of them in front of Maggie. Nor anyone. Carly would vent to us sure, but everyone has tiffs with one's parents.

D. Smith  
When Louis went to work with Doctors without borders was it a post haste decision?

N. Horan  
No, he talked about it to us. He spoke to his sister and he even talked it over with Magdalena. Maggie was excited and he made sure that school was all set up for her. She was his major priority and nothing else. Even whilst they were away he was in constant communication as well as she did come back to the states and stayed with her aunt and even the summer with us. He cares about her, and her life and well being always comes first. Always no matter what it has to deal with.

D. Smith  
Would you say his parenting methods are unorthodox?

N. Horan  
Jesus no. Sorry. Sorry. I just don't like how that is being put in question. He punishes her when she needs to be punished, and he will spend his days off with her and giving her the life that he wanted her to have and even better than he had imagined.

D. Smith  
What about his relationship with Mr. Styles

N. Horan  
He would be over with them, Harry would bring Maggs home. But never once did he spent the night when she was at the house. He made sure of that. While Louis's personal life in the bedroom is up to him - I do think that should remain between them.

D. Smith  
Had Louis changed since dating Mr. Styles?

N. Horan  
He was happy. Everyone could see it. Maggie saw it, I saw it, Aryena saw it, the mouse in there house even knew it. He had been in a funk, as would anyone who lost their parents, as well as there best friend and mother of their daughter. So, yes but for the better, and that is what you should do when you find someone you love.

D. Smith  
So, Mr. Tomlinson never put Maggie to the side?

N. Horan  
God no. While Lou and Harry had date nights. One to two times a week. Then, the rest of the time it was either all there of them. Lou and Maggs or even Haz and Maggs. Sunday nights is dinner with the three of them and Charlie.

D. Smith  
Thank you Dr. Horan. That is all from me

D. Smith goes and takes a seat.  
S. Foyle gets up.

S. Foyle  
You know you are under oath Mr. Horan.

N. Horan  
It's Doctor, and I know.

S. Foyle  
Has Mr. Tomlinson always kept to his oath as a Doctor - sorry I mean a nurse?

N. Horan  
While you are trying to belittle my best mate, I would like you to know Lou stopped and became a nurse so that Carly could finish up with her doctorate and help raise Maggs. And he loves his job, he is a registered nurse and everyone loves him at the A&E. Next?

S. Foyle  
With him working when did he have time for Magdalena?

N. Horan  
Monday and Tuesday he is done at 4. Wednesday and Friday he is off at 8 and Thursday he is done at 5. Saturday and Sunday rotates being off and if not he has two other days off. He is home and sometimes when he picks up an overnight Charlie, his sister stays over, or Maggs will stay with us or Harry will stay with her until Lou gets home if he has to stay late.

S. Foyle  
Mr. Styles has never spent the night?

N. Horan  
Nope

S. Foyle  
Are you sure?

N. Horan  
Yes.

S. Foyle  
Has he ever gotten abusive with Magdalena

N. Horan  
Jesus no! He loves Maggs more than life itself. Even when in other countries Maggie was number one.

S. Foyle  
Then why did he take her away from her grandparents?"

N. Horan  
They had disowned Carly Wanted nothing to do with her, Lou or Maggie until Carly passed. He took her for them to get away from the hell that had been living through - to see the world and enjoy time the two of them as they started to rebuild there lives. I don't think that is wrong. Healthy in a way.

S. Foyle  
But was it? She has been going to therapy. That doesn't seem like someone who is living a functional life.

N. Horan  
She is in therapy for the loss of her mother and grandparents.

S. Foyle  
Or is that what Mr. Tomlinson tells you so you think so when in fact she is going for other reasons?

N. Horan  
You are (N. Horan pauses). No. Maggie is a brilliant girl, but sometimes they need to speak to someone that isn't family. When you lose your mum and then your grandparents then maybe you can pass judgement on those who have and choose to seek help professionally.

Judge Waters  
Watch it please Dr. Horan. As you Mr. Foyle please what your questions as well.

S. Foyle  
It was said in a police report that you went to the flat to check in on Maggie when she was all beat up. What happened.

N. Horan  
Your client scared Maggie by trying to take her away from her father. So I went there to patch her up. Lou was out of town and I didn't see the need for him to come home.

S. Foyle  
Where was he?

N. Horan  
Cheshire.

S. Foyle  
And he didn't come home? Or was he the cause?

N. Horan  
He was at an even and seeing that Maggie had not broken teeth or anything hurt vitally I patched her up, Lou was on facetime and she went to bed. Lou was out of town and he would never hurt his daughter. Or off medication.

S. Foyle  
Are you sure about this?

N. Horan  
As sure as I am my shoe size and that Louis has a birthmark on his arse in the shape of New York.

S. Foyle  
No further questions.

N. Horan goes and sit back down.

D. Smith  
I would like to call up Maggie's therapist, Dr. Lawson.

J. Lawson makes her way to the stand.  
J. Lawson takes her oath and sits down

D. Smith  
Why did Magdalena come to see you?

J Lawson  
She was having a hard time in school. Being social. It is a common thing when children move to a new place - and one who had lost someone close. She wasn't in trouble - she just needed someone to talk to. Which she did.

D. Smith  
And what did you learn from these sessions you had with her?

J Lawson  
She was closed at first. She didn't trust me - again something that is common. But after a few sessions Maggie opened up. She first talked about school and how she loved to read. She talked about a few person things as well, nothing to deep at first. Then, she opened up about her mother. The rising fear of her grandmother taking her away from her father. How much she cared about her father and Mr. Styles. But more than that, I saw her transform when it came to school. She talked about how she would have lunch with Mr. Styles to catch up on work to her having lunch with friends. She was being more social in her own way with the people she trusted. That is what one could want as a therapist.

D. Smith  
And what about Mr. Tomlinson. Did you ever get the notion that he was abusing her?

J Lawson  
No. Anything but. Mr. Tomlinson was always there, he talked with me after or before if he had any questions. He was on time, never missed an appointment and was happy to hear that his daughter was improving and seeing it himself.

D. Smith  
Were you ever worried about Maggie in his care?

J Lawson  
No. Never

D. Smith  
No further questions.

D. Smith sits down.  
S. Foyle stands up.

S. Foyle  
Did you ever think Mr. Tomlinson put Maggie in your care to make him seem like he cared?

J, Lawson  
No. He did, and does and will always care about his daughter. She came in worried about her grandmother lurking around there house more than anything. Worried to tell her father and make him worry. She told me that she would be seen driving past the flat, even at school. Something that would drive anyone to worry more so than normal. But Louis, he actually cares about his daughter. Loves her and wants her to be herself and not placed in a box that has been predetermined for her.

S. Foyle  
Would you say her fears of her grandparents were placed in her mind by Mr. Tomlinson?

J. Lawson  
No. I had them myself. I even contacted Mr. Smith after a session I had with her and after speaking with Mr. Tomlinson. This fear wasn't an irrational one, nor were the words she was saying we coming from someone putting them in her head. Mr. Tomlinson didn't speak about her grandparents - and if he did he never spoke ill of them in front of her. They are still family and whilst at times we wish we didn't have certain members in ours we do. No, these were fears of a seven year old being ripped from all she loves and knows.

S. Foyle  
Why do you keep using the phrase 'ripped from'

J. Lawson  
I have been there when Social Services take away children.

S. Foyle  
No further questions

Lawson takes his seat  
D. Smith stands up

D. Smith  
I would like to call up Doctor Abigail Holmes. She was the doctor who had been treating Carly since she had come of age.

A. Holmes makes her way to the stand.  
A. Holmes takes her oath and sits down

D. Smith  
Dr. Holmes, when did Carly come to you?

A Holmes  
She was in her final year at Uni before she went to do her residency. She came with Louis and they spoke to me about how they wanted to start a family. We ran tests to see what was the best way for them seeing as she had been battling Cancer since she was 16.

D. Smith  
And had she been treated properly?

A Holmes  
In a way. Her parents were adamant that she was fine after she went into remission the first time. They used herbs and oils and while that might have worked back in the 70's it didn't in this case. So, when we discussed that the best way and we planned out when the best time to give it a go the first time around. We waited until graduation - Lou had gotten a good job and Carly had a year and a half left until she was a doctor. So both of them worked and were in school. Then we did the procedure. Carly only wanted to do it once, she knew the process and the cost.

D. Smith  
You were there with Ms. Gilbert and Mr. Tomlinson then after Magdalena was born?

A Holmes  
Oh yes. I had never seen two people more happy to be parents than that of Louis and Carly. Carly had her maternity leave and just enjoyed her time with her daughter. Louis had his paternity leave and loved it even more that he was with his daughter. Both of them would do whatever was in there power for Magdalena. When Carly got ill again - it hit Lou and they sat down and told Magdalena. Straight forward what was happening but Carly knew this one was different. She was a fighter but I could see in her eyes that it was different. When she passed Louis grieved, but he did so in a way where he was there for Magdalena.

D. Smith  
He never gave up?

A Holmes  
If anything - he fought harder to be both father and mother. He wanted her to have both parents even if he had to do both roles. Charlotte stepped in and helped out as best as she could as did Louis's parents. Until they also passed.

D. Smith  
And after that? Did you ever worry about Louis? That he would mistreat Magdalena?

A Holmes  
No. Never. I didn't even recognize the poor girl when I walked in here today.

S. Foyle  
Objection!

Judge Waters  
Overruled. Continue Doctor Holmes

A Holmes  
Louis loves Magdalena and she has grown up to be a woman that Carly would be so proud of. I am proud of her and of Louis. He takes her to the doctor to check on her HCM as well as she got check ups for cancer.

D. Smith  
And as a medical professional, along with Magdalena's doctor she does in fact have HCM

A Holmes  
Yes, and that is it medically. She is of perfect health otherwise.

D. Smith  
No further questions

D. Smith takes his seat  
S. Foyle stands up

S. Foyle  
Why didn't you seat Carly's parents advice when their daughter came back 'ill'

A Holmes  
She was over the age of consent and like I said, her parent didn't believe that she was actually ill.

S. Foyle  
If she was ill why did you let her go through the process of having a child? And with a man who is a homosexual?

A Holmes  
Again, what they do is there own choice. Carly was in intermission and we checked on her monthly to make sure that there was no medical issues that would arise when she was with child. She was healthy, as there was usually long gaps between her bouts with Cancer. I also had her get a second opinion about going through the pregnancy so it didn't seem that I was bias. She got the okay from three and we went ahead.

S. Foyle  
You deemed them both fit to be parents. Though they had little to no money

A Holmes  
Not my concern. They also never seemed to have a problem and Maggie has never been malnourished or mistreated.

S. Foyle  
What about psychologically?

A Holmes  
Sane as any human. She was never told she was stupid, ugly or unworthy. Even when they were away Louis would send emails and he would praise how amazing Maggie was doing, picking up on different languages, adjusting, making friends, how she was excelling in her classes like her mother did and she was growing up to be a well rounded young woman.

S. Foyle  
Even having to see a therapist?

A Holmes  
Yes, there is nothing wrong with those who see someone.

S. Foyle  
You don't feel guilty that you allowed Carly to have a child and then she died. And you did nothing to help her?

A Holmes  
She didn't want chemo. She said that she was done putting her body through the hell. I didn't blame her. Unless you have been through it, or have seen someone go through it than it is hard to fully understand. So, when she said that she didn't want to I wasn't going to force her, that is not my job. She wanted to enjoy the time she had with her daughter and Louis. To live her life without wasting it by being bed ridden.

S. Foyle  
So you just killed her yourself then

A Holmes  
No, I have her the treatment she needed until she was stuck in bed. I did my job as a doctor and a friend.

S. Foyle  
That is all

S. Foyle sits down  
A Holmes heads to her seat

Judge Waters  
Tomorrow when we pick this up again we will cross examine the family members. As for now we will end this session today.

 

  
Judge Waters bangs gavel.  
Court dismissed.


	21. Blue Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I will be working on the next chapter whenever I have free time. I have a lot of personal things going on. Nothing bad, just a lot and while I would love to bust out another chapter in the next day I can't make the promise. So, please bare with me and I promise that there will be a chapter up ASAP! Love you all for the lovely comments. 
> 
> XO  
> Violet

Louis’s hand rested against the tiles on the wall of the shower. The hot water had turned warm about twenty minutes ago and now the warm water was slowly turning cold. His eyes were heavy and remained shut as his hair fell in his face and his chest felt heavy. The trial had been a shit show, and he wanted so many times to jump up and scream “Lies! They are lying about me! They are lying about my daughter!” but he kept silent. He knew that she needed to remain silent for he didn’t want the judge to throw him out and think he was crazy. Standing up his back popped and he pressed his hands against the wall and brace himself so he would be able to stand.

 _Great. Now my back went out_ . He hissed to himself as he pressed his back against the wet tile and his wet hair stuck up behind him. Taking a deep breathe in he opened up his eyes as he heard someone coming into the flat. He wasn't sure if it was Harry leaving to get food, or if he was coming back. Once he stepped into the shower he had been in another world. Standing up he slowly leaned forward and turned off the water. His body was throbbing but he slowly and awkwardly made his way out of the shower and grabbed a towel to wrap around his body as he heard feet running up and down the steps several times. _What is he doing?_ Louis thought as he he dried off his body.

He felt as if he had been up for ten years. Not that he had gotten home from the trial just three hours ago. It had been a long but short day at the same time. By the time the trial started and the day ended they were home by 3 in the afternoon. His back hunched as he waddled into his bedroom where his joggers and t-shirt were laying on his bed. He listened as he heard Harry jogging down the steps again. Dropping the towel down on the ground he quickly (as quickly as his old aching body could go) put on his joggers and slipped the shirt on over his wet hair, letting out a quiet cry of pain.

“Fooking meds are downstairs,” he hissed through his teeth. Running his hands through his wet hair, brushing it - since his comb was too far away from him to walk back to the bathroom and then back out and down the steps. Bracing his body from the bed, and the dresser he slipped his mobile into his pocket and slipped his glasses back on his face so he would be able to actually see. Using anything that was in arms reach to brace himself Louis carefully made his way from his bedroom, down the steps and onto the first floor. Rounding the corner he saw the kitchen table was piled with bags. “Harry….” Louis said his voice trailed off and Harry walked through the door, backwards as he dragged a box which contained a Christmas tree. “What is all of this?”

Stopping, Harry took a deep breathe in, “it’s December 21st Lou. We need to decorate,” he told him with a smile as his shoes clicked as he finished carrying the box over to the living room and propped it up against the wall. Taking the back of his hand he wiped away the sweat from his brow and placed his hands on his hips. “So, I have a tree,” he said catching his breathe as he walked over to the kitchen table. “I also have other decorations, lights, garland, some stuff to put on the shelves and then ornaments for the tree as well,” he explained as he began to remove the items from the bags and lay them out on the table. “Is your back acting up again?”

Louis just stood there, not sure what was going on in Harry’s head and if he had been there today in the court to get their asses handed to them with all the lies that were told about Harry and Louis himself.

Pausing, Harry walked over to Louis, he placed a hand on his hip and cupped his face, “today wasn’t the best day, nor was it a good day,” he said looking into Louis’s eyes. “But, lies are lies and I believe those in the justice system know them when they hear them. I can’t let you sit here and think about the what if’s and thinking that you should have done your life different for you shouldn’t have,” he smiled at him as he tried to see from the tears in his own eyes. “So, after you take your medication for your back and I give you a decently long lecture on how you should get the damn surgery, we are going to put on some music, I’m going to make us a brew and we,” he tapped Louis’s face with his hand, “we are going to make this home festive so when Maggie comes home it will be ready.”

Louis smiled on the side of his mouth.

“So,” Harry said, “you will take your medication and then eat this banana and I will start the prep of the house,” he said as he walked back over to the cabinet and grabbed Louis’s pain medication. “When the trial is over we are going to make an appointment to get your back looked at.”

Rolling his eyes he took a seat at the kitchen table as Harry grabbed a cup and filled it up with water, his shoes clicked as he walked over and handed both over to Louis. He took them, setting the empty glass down on the table he began to look through the bags to see all of what he had gotten for the flat. He wasn’t even going to tell him that he didn’t need to do it for he knew that Harry would go on and on about how he wanted to and all that junk that Louis hated him for but, loved him for at the same time. While he looked Harry had connected his iPhone to the AUX cable on the record player, the holiday music played softly as he made his way over to where Louis was sitting.

“Can we not decorate the tree?” Louis asked Harry as he pulled the garland out of the bag. “That is Maggie’s favorite part and when she gets home I would like to do it. As a family.”

Harry paused as Louis said that word. While most people in a relationship look for the ‘I love yous’ to be said there was something about hearing Louis call him part of the family that made everything seem so small in his life. Family was what Louis held on to the most. What he loved the hardest and who he would give his life for. Harry stood there a bit dumbfounded as he tried to put together words to say back to him.

“So,” Louis said with a smile as he pushed himself up off the chair, “What shall we hang first?”

Reaching out Louis grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze he let Louis know that he was there, and that his heart was breaking just like his but when your heart breaks you have to keep going - it is the only way you can survive in this world. Harry put him in charge of organizing everything on the table while he went and changed, for he was still in his suit from earlier and he had to wear it tomorrow as well. By the time he hand changed and came down Louis had already put up a few of the signs, the moose skiing figure and was testing the lights to put around the window. While there wasn’t much talking, both men enjoyed the presence of the other one. Louis knew that without Harry he would have fallen apart many weeks ago and would have been a mess walking into the trial today. From the touch of Harry’s hand on the small of his back or when Louis would poke him or kiss him randomly Harry knew that he was going to be okay. They were going to be okay. All this shit was going to be okay. Once the lights had been put up Harry held out his hand as Louis walked down the step stool and they made their way over to the railing and began to hang the garland up.

“I told Charlie we could pick her up tomorrow,” Louis told Harry as he held the garland up and he hammered in the hook into the wood. “But she said she could take a taxi.”

Harry rose his brow, “why would she need to do that?” he asked him confused.

“It’s Charlie,” Louis laughed as he moved up the steps and Harry hung another part of the garland. “I need to wrap the gifts for Maggs,” he told Harry as he walked up to the top of the landing. “So, if everything pans out the way we want it to the next few days in court are we still okay to head to your parents house for the holidays?” Louis asked him as he plugged in the lights and the garland illuminated.

Harry paused, looking up he didn’t even look at the garland, he just looked at Louis. He hadn’t brought up the topic of Christmas for he wasn't sure where Louis’s head was at. And with everything going on he never told his mum yes or no. He just avoided the topic all together. “Yes,” he stuttered. “Yeah my mum was just asking about the trial - and then the subject came up and I never knew what to say.”

Louis flashed a smile before he headed down the steps. “I mean, if not that is okay. I don’t know what is going to happen anyway. For all we know Maggie will be with her grandparents.”

Harry let out a sigh, “Lou, don’t say that.”

“It could happen.”

“It won’t.”

“But it could!” he said his voice raised a few octaves as he turned around. “I don’t. I don’t want to think that everything is going to be okay and then the rug is pulled out from under me,” he said his voice went back to a regular tone. “Okay… I just… Everytime I think ahead my heart drops when I think it might not pan out.”

Harry cocked his head and looked at Louis, “what have you been thinking ahead to darling?”

Shrugging, Louis tossed his hands in the air and took a seat on the steps. “I don’t know. Christmas. Thinking about renovating my parents house. Going back to Uni. What I will force myself to eat so I don’t get sick,” he said. Harry walked down the few steps and took a seat next to Louis, he grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Before this shit happened I was talking with Douglas about my parents house, it’s under my name and I was getting the blueprints and wanted to start planning to fix it up - make it our own.”

Harry nodded, he wasn’t sure if the lump that was forming in his throat, or why his mind was starting to send panic signals to his heart and body as he took a deep breath in and exhaled through his nose.

“Maybe, when we are down at your parents we could take a day trip out there, with Charlie. See can do a few things with Maggs while we look at the house, assess the costs of things and talk details of what we should fix right away, and what can wait,” Louis told him as he closed his eyes and pushed the feeling of vomit down back into his stomach.

“We?”

Opening his eyes Louis arched his brown over the frame of his glasses. “You think I would do this without you being in the know?”

“Yes.”

“Why?  

Harry narrowed his eyes, he wasn’t sure what the answer to this was. “Because as much as I would love to travel back and for from London to Doncaster I don’t think my job or your job would -” Harry was cut off as Louis leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips before giggling to himself. “What is so funny?”

“How thick you are,” he said pressing his forehead against Harry’s. “This is what my heart thinks about and my mind wants to crush all these amazing, and incredible things that I want to happen but….”

“I understand,” Harry said as he rested his head on Louis’s shoulder. “I don’t mean to sound so cheerful and that I don’t understand the magnitude of what is going on. I just don’t want you to feel that there is no - no happy ending, or bright side to this.”

“It’s hard.”

“So, talk to me,” Harry said. “You can yell, you can punch a pillow, you can even break stuff for all I care. Just, just know I’m here love.”

Turning his head, Louis kissed the top of Harry’s head. “I love you Harry. Thank you,” he said. “Now, tea and we should turn in. We have an early morning.”

“I will make the tea, you can toss the rubbish,” Harry said as he pushed himself up to his feet, extending his hand he pulled Louis up to his feet and ran down the steps before Louis could catch him.

“Fook you Styles,” Louis hissed as he shook his head and headed down the steps and walked over to the rubbish. While Harry made the tea, Louis gathered all of bags from the decorations and tossed them all into the bin, turning the lights off and letting the Christmas light illuminate the flat. Harry made his way over to Louis, handing him his mug both men stood there for a moment. No words were said as they enjoyed the stillness that was in the flat.

Harry’s heart was filled with joy thinking about his future with Louis. Thinking about his life with Louis and Maggie. A life that he never knew was possible and out of London as well. He placed his hand on the small of Louis’s back and took a sip of his tea. Louis stood there and felt a calmness in his chest. While, he didn’t want to think about looking to far ahead in life, he knew that whatever crap happened he had Harry and that was what he needed. While his head was dreading tomorrow, he knew the lies were going to just vomit out of Emily’s mouth he also knew there was nothing he could about it.

Both men finished their tea, Harry took Louis mug while he headed on up to bed, and to put a heating pad and ice on his back while he rinsed out the cups. He hummed to himself as he left the lights on and made his way up the steps as he heard Louis groan for a moment. As he walked into his bedroom, Louis was propped up in his bed with a painful look on his face. “I’m fine,” Louis lied to Harry. He was going to let it slide as he walked to the toilet and turned the shower on. While the water warmed up, he grabbed two towels and made his way back out of the room to grab his jim jams. Walking back into the bathroom, he shut the door, stripping out of his clothes he stepped into the warm water and let it hit his body. He listened as Louis made a few noises here and there but soon there was silence all over the flat.

His hand turned off the water, wrapping the towel around his waist he dried his hair with the other one and slipped on his jim jams, hanging the towels on the hook he made his way back out into the bedroom and saw that Louis was asleep - the ice pack still on his back. Making his way around the bed, Harry slipped the ice pack off Louis’s back and pulled the duvet up covering him up. “Love you babe,” Harry said as he kissed his forehead and walked back oer and slipped into bed next to Louis. His body was drained, and his eyes hurt and he would be up in just a few hours due to the nerves for the trail.

  
_Sleep. I am going to need strength for tomorrow._


	22. Trial Day 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience and support for this fic. I had wanted to get these final chapters up sooner but with work being crazy (I've been working 6 days a week, sometimes doubles) and then I had my best friend come and visit and life I wasn't able to get much writing done. But as I type this out I have the final 3 chapters sitting in my google docs and ready to finish editing (mainly the last chapter) and post. 
> 
> Thank you all for your kind words in the comments and for reading. This story has been a lot of fun and I have enjoyed working on it.
> 
> Again, if you want to keep more up to date with me you can follow me on twitter (violet_janou). 
> 
> XO   
> Violet

22.12.2017  
Trial #237 Tomlinson vs. Gilbert  
9:15am

 **Judge Waters**  
Today we are going to be hearing from Mr. Tomlinson, Charlotte Tomlinson and Emily Gilbert. Both sides will ask whatever questions they have. You are to keep your calm, you are not to act crude, act out and act up. We are adults, we shall act as such. After we take a break we will then hear from Magdalena. And while we are on our break I am going to allow Mr. Tomlinson to see his daughter.

 **S. Foyle**  
Sir, we aren't sure that this is -

 **Judge Waters**  
Mr. Foyle I will choose what is right in the eyes of Magdalena. Now, if Ms. Charlotte Tomlinson if you would like to come and take the stand.

_C. Tomlinson takes the stand._   
_C. Tomlinson takes oath and sits down._

**S. Foyle**  
Ms. Tomlinson, while your brother claims that he takes care of his daughter, when in fact you are the one who does all the child raising and watching.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
I help.

 **S. Foyle**   
Then why have you been seen at the house more so than your own flat.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
My flatmate has a new boyfriend and they have been going at it like a pair of dogs in heat. So Louis, my brother, lets me crash on his couch. Also, Maggie is my niece and I love to spend time with her. Which shouldn't be a problem, but a normal thing that human do.

 **S. Foyle**  
So, when you watch her your aren't paid?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No.... she is family and my brother needs me.

 **S. Foyle**  
So, if you weren't around Magdalena would have no womanly influence in her life. No one to show her how to be a woman, and do the things that are required of her.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
A bit backwards thinking don't you say? My brother is an amazing man, if I wasn't around, which I wasn't around when he was working in South America. And to me Maggie is the most well rounded child ever. She knows how to help cook, bake, she also loves to help around the house, she is brilliant and thinks outside the box. While, her grandparents would love for her to fall into the role of school to be something she doesn't want. Learn to do only 'womanly duties' that isn't what she wants.

 **S. Foyle**  
Has she said this?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
If you are trying to get to the fact that my brother is trying to push his own agenda on his daughter, well he isn't. We wants Maggs to do what she loves, and if that is going to school for baking, or for engineering. She loves to help me when I make clothes, but she also loves to help Louis when he is fixing things around the flat.

 **S. Foyle**  
Has he ever tried to push an agenda?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
 _Rolls Eyes._ No.

 **S. Foyle**  
Has Louis ever hurt Magdalena?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Jezz no! And this whole he hurt her when she fell is complete bullocks. I was there with her, we had just gotten home from dinner and she went to get the post when Emily was outside the house. Freaked her out and tripped.

 **S. Foyle**  
Why hadn't he fixed the loose brick?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
His land lady had a call in and they came the following day.

 **S. Foyle**  
When did you know your brother was a homosexual?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
He was always my brother. Never once did I think it was weird that my brother dated boys. My parents didn't make it a big deal either. It was just him. Which, I don't understand why his sexuality is an issue.

 **S. Foyle**  
You aren't afraid that Maggie is going to learn to be gay?

 **C. Tomlinson**   
No.

 **S. Foyle**  
Science has been proven that children look up to their parents.

 **C. Tomlinson**   
Sexual preferences aren't learned. You are born with them.

 **S. Foyle**  
What about Mr. Styles. Do you think it is healthy for her to be spending so much time with him? Getting the boundaries confused on teacher and not?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No.

 **S. Foyle**  
And your brother and Harry have never slept together.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
They have. But what they do behind closed doors when Maggie is not in the house is up to them.

 **S. Foyle**  
Yes, but it can shape this young mind. Why would we want to have her being with a father who is sleeping around and making that something that is norm in her life.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
So, every married person shouldn't have sex? How would a family grow? Just due to there sexual orientation that shouldn't make them excluded from that. Should it? Maggie is 8. She knows there are many kinds of sexual orientations, and while her grandparents wish that she was blinded like them to the world she isn't.

 **S. Foyle**  
And what about you Ms. Tomlinson? Has your male friend ever been over while Maggie was home?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Dylan.... He has stopped by to drop off some stuff I needed, or pick up something.

 **S. Foyle**  
Have you two ever -

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No. God no.

 **S. Foyle**  
Oh, why do you see so seem to jump to a conclusion on what I was going to ask you.

 **C. Tomlinson**   
Dylan has come over three times. One time, he came over for a Sunday dinner. Another time he came over when I was there, alone, I had just dropped Maggie off at a friends house and he was dropping off dinner - and then we studied for a quiz in Uni. The third time was when he had to pick me up for dinner when I had taken a bus to watch Maggs and Louis had gotten home in a few hours prior.

 **S. Foyle**  
Oh that is it?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Yes. And never once have we kissed, or done anything sexual while Maggie was around or I was watching her. Ever. Never have and never will I.

 **S. Foyle**  
While that is true, it's not safe to have strange men around a young woman.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
She is eight not three. I would never put Maggie in harm's way. I love her like she is my own daughter and want the best for her. Dylan understands that and everyone that Louis lets into his life. Be it romantically or as a friend, he makes it known to them that Maggie is number one in his life and nothing will ever change that.

 **S. Foyle**   
So, your brother has been good. Never once passed her off to you so he could have a nice one off with another man? Say in New York?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
What? I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about.

 **S. Foyle**   
It was 2015 when Louis went to New York for a conference. We found out that he met a man and had a long weekend fling with him. Is that an example that a young woman like Magdalena should have?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
She was in Chicago with me when that happened. If that happened. And if it did, so what? Louis is an adult and he can choose who he wants to sleep with or not. He has talked to Maggie about sex, and love when she has asked. 

 **S. Foyle**  
So he did?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
I don't know.

 **S. Foyle**  
Lying under oath can get you sent away.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
I'm not lying if I don't know what you are speaking of now am I?

 **S. Foyle**   
No further questions

_S. Foyle takes a seat._   
_D. Smith questions C. Tomlinson_

**D. Smith**   
Do you recall the day that Louis and Carly told you about having Magdalena?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Yes, my mum and dad were so happy. Mum cried for an hour out of joy and my dad sat Lou down and got all serious and told him that if he needed anything they were there for him, and that he had his old crib and clothes and footie jersey that he came home in. I was just as thrilled, Carly was an older sister I never had. I was fourteen when they told us they were going to have a kid. It was the best news I had ever gotten in my life up until that point.

 **D. Smith**   
What happened when Louis and Carly told her parents?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
I wasn't there, but Lou came home. Carly was upset and had been crying and Lou was angry. He went outside and kicked the football around while Carly told them. I was nine and wanted to know without them knowing I was listening. Carly had told them how upset his mum and dad were. They were upset that she wasn't married, and that she was being stupid and her cancer was gone. They hated Lou and cut he out.

 **D. Smith**  
Are you sure this wasn't just you being nine and your imagination going a bit wild?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No, for my dad drove with her to get her things from her parents house and brought them to store in our house in Donnie. They had a flat in London for school but they were in Donnie a lot as well.

 **D. Smith**  
When did the Gilbert's try and come back into Maggie's life?

 **C. Tomlinson**   
When Carly found out that her cancer had come back. She had waited months until she ended up in Hospital and when she went back home she made the choice to tell them. She felt they should know that she was sick - at that point they came back and blamed Louis for her illness, for their daughter getting sick again and they began to try and take Maggie away.

 **D. Smith**  
This isn't the first time?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No. They tried one time when she was in hospital for chemo and showed up with a police friend only to find out they had lied and got demoted for his quick action without thinking. At that point they did what they could do to keep them at bay.

 **D. Smith**  
What about after her death? How did Louis react?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
He was crushed - he loved Carly and I believe there are different kinds of love we have. She was unlike anything. We all felt this darkness come over us, even Maggie was upset. But it was her who made him push those dark emotions and thoughts away - he went and got a better job at a hospital. He set up so our mum and dad would help with her, they moved in and it was glorious. Louis saved up money. Starting a Uni fund for Maggie as well as putting money away for a house and a car if he was going to stay in Donnie. We all helped with Maggie. It is what family does. It was then a few months later when our parents died. That is when Louis really needed help.

 **D. Smith**  
So what did he do? Did he go to the drink? Or sex? Or drugs?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No, god he went and offered up his services to Doctors without Borders. It was quick for they needed nurses to help. While this is what he wanted he talked it over with me and Maggie. He wanted to make sure that I was going to be okay. I was in Uni and wasn't living in the house anymore so I was okay with that. Maggie was excited to see parts of the world she had seen in books or that her mother had talked about. So, Lou and I cleaned out our old house. He took the money he saved and put half of it into an account for when he came back to London and the rest to help on the trip. Our parents had left us money, I couldn't get it till I was 25 so Louis would pay rent from that money and I would have an allowance until I got a job and then I put it all into savings for after Uni.

 **D. Smith**  
And what about when he was away? Was Maggie ever not looked after?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Oh, lord no. She was in school, she would be in school while he worked, and if he worked odd hours there were people who would stay in there room while she slept. We would Skype once a week and Maggie loved it. She made a lot of friends, she got to see the world and wasn't sitting in a place that reminded her of her mum who died or her gran or papa.

 **D. Smith**  
And there was a time where she came back to London?

 **C. Tomlinson**   
Yes, Lou was going to be in some parts of the country that weren't safe. So, in the month of July Maggie came out to Chicago with me for a week and then we went back to London. She then went to stay with Niall and his wife and James on and of for three weeks and when they were out of town she was with me. Louis would Skype everyday, and he wired me money for her and she enjoyed time with her best friend and me. Then Louis came home for a two weeks and they went back.

 **D. Smith**  
Did Maggie ever say she wanted to come home?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No. It wasn't until Louis could either sign up for another two years or come home he sat down and spoke with Maggie. She expressed how she wanted to come back to London. Go to school and have a normal life for a bit. Louis agreed and they came home.

 **D. Smith**  
Now, when it comes to his relationship with Harry.

 **C. Tomlinson**  
Maggie is first. Always. Never once have I seen it otherwise. Harry understands and respects that. No other human have I seen do such a thing for Lou.

 **D. Smith**  
And he has never slapped Maggie? Or put her in physical harm?

 **C. Tomlinson**  
No. She fell due to Emily spooking her.

 **D. Smith**  
Does Louis speak ill of her in front of Maggie?

 **C. Tomlinson**   
He has never said nasty words to describe her, but he has talked about how what she is doing is wrong. He talked like an adult about her, her actions and her husbands. But, never once did he say they never loved her, nor should she not treat them with respect that adults should be treated with.

 **D. Smith**  
Thank you Ms. Tomlinson, I have no further questions.

_C. Tomlinson walks back to seat._

**Judge Waters**  
Next, would Harry Edward Styles please come up for questioning.

_H. Styles makes his way to the stand._   
_H. Styles takes his oath and sits down._

**S. Foyle**  
Mr. Styles, the last relationship you had was one that was marked on the records. ( _S. Foyle hands files to judge_ ). You were in and out of hospital and then even went to court for a break up. Why don't you tell us about that.

 **H. Styles**  
I was 18 and met a guy. His name was Tanner and he was what I thought was nice. I was young and into this feeling I had when I was with him. In a span of two years his actions turned from loving to possessive. I was in hospital three times. Once I said I fell down some steps when I broke my arm, a second I ran into a door when I had a black eye and the last one I was beat up so bad I couldn't speak so Liam told the doctors and police what actually happened. I then had a restraining order against him, even though he had dropped out rather than have the University kick him out.

 **S. Foyle**  
Would you say you are attracted to men who have this kind of behavior?

 **H. Styles**  
No.

 **S. Foyle**  
What about Mr. Tomlinson?

 **H. Styles**  
Is nothing like Tanner. He has never raised his voice out of hate to his daughter, or at all. He has been a parent who was able to teach Maggie how to behave and if she is acting up and being the goof ball she is or something Louis just tells her to stop and fish what needs to be done. They communicate with each other like normal humans do.

 **S. Foyle**  
What about you?

 **H. Styles**  
Never. Louis is a man who treats those around him with love and respect. I admire him for that everyday.

 **S. Foyle**   
When you began your affair with Mr. Tomlinson was it for financial gain??

 **H. Styles**  
What?

 **S. Foyle**  
When you began -

 **H. Styles**  
I meant it in a sense of are you mental? No, the first time I saw Louis he was in scrubs, hadn't shaved and needed to sleep for five days. I have never asked him his financial status, nor has he asked mine. I fell in love with a man who works hard, loves his daughter more than words, and who honestly has the purest heart for those he holds dear to his heart. It is also not an affair. It's a relationship.

 **S. Foyle**  
How many relationships have you been in.

 **H. Styles**  
Two.

 **S. Foyle**  
And only being in two allows you to be a good judge of character?

 **H. Styles**  
Yes. I am a teacher, I can read a human very quickly be it a child or a parent. My lack of relationships is more so that when I am in one, I look for something that will last and I don't jump from guy to guy.

 **S. Foyle**  
Your judge of character didn't work out to well with your first boyfriend.

 **H. Style**  
But it is with Louis.

 **S. Foyle**   
And, you Mr. Styles, it never seemed wrong that you were dating your students parent? Never once did you think that you could be fired, or that this would harm Maggie. Thinking that when she gets older she can just go and sleep around with anyone that she wanted.

 **H. Styles**  
I'm sorry that is so far fetched. When I began my relationship with Louis I had talked with Headmaster Bryant. We had come up with a system that if there was any reason it seemed as if I was giving Maggie the wrong grades she would check the paper. Louis and I also talked with Maggie before anything happened and he told me that if she said no then it would have never happened.

 **S. Foyle**  
But did she want it, or did she say yes since she knew that her father would beat her other side?

 **D. Smith**  
Objection!

 **Judge Waters**  
Mr. Foyle it's been stated that Louis has never harmed his daughter, unless you have medical records showing that she does I would like you to stop using that phrase and get on with your questions.

 **S. Foyle**  
She never felt forced to agree to anything?

 **H. Styles**  
She isn't a prisoner. She is a free human and Louis would always hear her side but he did what he thought was right as her father. Even if she didn't agree with it he always did what was in her best interest.

 **S. Foyle**  
So like removing her from the life she knew and keeping her in countries away from her actual family for two years.

 **H. Styles**  
I think he gave her an opportunity for her to see places she might have never been able to see, as well allowed her to grieve for her mother in a way that helped develop into the young, intelligent, charismatic woman she is now. Travel is never a bad thing Mr. Foyle. While some people think there is no need for it Louis showed his daughter the need and urgency for it. It opens up one's mind to a new way of living.

 **S. Foyle**  
So, when she went back to a normal education her studies didn't lack at all?

 **H. Styles**  
She was having trouble with maths and science - but with a bit of tutoring and she started to understand. It takes her a bit longer to process maths and science but we worked on a way for her to understand it better and she has been excelling. That was until she was pulled from school.

 **S. Foyle**  
Out of fear.

 **H. Styles**  
Of an education?

 **S. Foyle**  
Out of what you would do. Kidnap her? Tell her lies about her grandmother?

 **H. Styles**  
When Maggie steps into my classroom she is my student and I am her teacher. I treat her like I treat all of my students and I pride myself on that. So there should have never been fear of what I would do. Just the fear that Emily had formed in her head that was lies.

 **S. Foyle**  
No further questions. 

_S. Foyle takes a seat_   
_D. Smith walks to the stand_

**D. Smith**   
When Maggie started in your class, how were her grades and social ways.

 **H. Styles**  
She was quiet. Which is normal. She has a good head on her shoulders. But she didn't talk much. Normal, she was new and it was a lot to take in. But, once she grew comfortable in her studies she began to branch out and make friends.

 **D. Smith**  
And yourself? Do you feel that Maggie had progressed or regressed at all?

 **H. Styles**  
She was a bit worried when Emily started to pop up more and more. She always had this fear in her head about her coming and taking her and when she did think of that she went back into her shell.

 **D. Smith**   
That happen a lot?

 **H. Styles**   
More so after she scared her when Louis and I were in Cheshire.

 **D. Smith**   
And you stayed?

 **H. Styles**  
Yes, Louis wanted to go but he spoke with Charlie, and Niall and they both told him to stay. Louis is selfless and I would have thrown all my clothes back into a bag and left if he wanted to. But, we both spoke to Maggie and she didn't want him to come back. She is a bright girl and she wanted her father to have a fun time away. So, we stayed but we checked in every few hours to see how things were.

 **D. Smith**  
Her grades in your class. Where did they rank?

 **H. Styles**  
When she came, she was in the higher percentile for reading, the language arts with writing, and such. Also her ability to retain information is amazing and she excels in history as well and French. She struggled with maths and science as I've stated before but that is due more to that isn't her strong suit and her brain takes a while longer to process it and you have to look at it in a non conventional way and once we did that she has been excelling ever since.

 **D. Smith**  
So the education she received while in South America has helped her then?

 **H. Styles**  
Yes, but more than that, Louis puts his emphasis on education. But in the way where Maggie knows that it is important and that as long as she does her best than that is what matters. Louis doesn't force her to get the best marks, and he never has her sit down and just do her coursework. There is a balance between that and a life where she can go out and have fun with friends, spend time with him, her aunt, and me. That is what helps her move forward for she has the smarts from sitting in a classroom but she has seen the world and that was the best kind of lessons you could have.

 **D. Smith**  
When you got back from Cheshire and saw Maggie, could you tell something had changed in her?

 **H. Styles**   
She was fearful. Louis was worried and while he never would say it - you could tell. There was this dark cloud that was looming over us and Louis was just waiting for something to happen.

 **D. Smith**   
Did her coursework altar with this fear?

 **H. Styles**  
No, I think she used it more as an escape.

 **D. Smith**  
But she was still happy?

 **H. Styles**  
Happy. Her proper weight, and didn't look so sick. The thing with the Tomlinson's is they are resilient. They fight back and they care for each other. They don't let the fears control them at all.

 **D. Smith**   
No further questions.

 _H. Styles takes his seat_.

 **Judge Waters**  
Next if Mr. Tomlinson would please come up to the stand

_L. Tomlinson walks up to the stand._   
_L. Tomlinson takes oath and sits down._

**S. Foyle**  
When did you know you were gay?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I realized I didn't like girls like my friends did when I was 13. But I played along for I thought that I was weird. It wasn't until I was 15 and I kissed a boy. I liked it and then sat down and talked with my mum and dad. I had dated a few guys between the ages of 16 and 18.

 **S. Foyle**  
Did you stop to target Carly?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I stopped for I had a bad relationship and my heart was broken. I met Carly and she was a soulmate as a best friend. I also knew that when it came to Uni I needed to focus if I was going to excel.

 **S. Foyle**   
Were you ever in a relationship while Carly was pregnant after you attacked her and forced her to have sex with you? Or whilst your daughter was alive?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
First, I would like to make it clear that Carly and I used a fertility treatment as it was stated the day prior. We never had sex for that is weird and something that neither of us wanted to do. Secondly, no. I loved and cared for Carly and I was going to be a father and I wasn't going to fff... screw that up. Plus, I was working like a mad man while she was finishing up her degree and to start her residency.

 **S. Foyle**  
So you never finished Uni?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I did. I am a registered nurse.

 **S. Foyle**  
Why didn't you finish Uni?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
Life happened. Carly and I sat down and did a pro and con list of what we wanted and to be frank, I wanted to see her reach a goal she wanted for so long and her parents laughed at her for. I was fine with where I was and what I did.

 **S. Foyle**  
So you gave up?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
I became a father and to be honest that is much more rewarding than Uni.

 **S. Foyle**   
Ah, so you think it was wise to just rip your daughter from what she knows and take her down to follow you as you were in countries that were so dangerous that she could have died?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
You make me sound like I put on a tight spandex suit and save New York from aliens. No, I did research and they had schools in English for Maggie. When I did go to places that I didn't feel safe she went home and stayed with the Horan family or she went and stayed with her Aunt. Her safety and education was number one.

 **S. Foyle**  
So why stay so long?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I had a contract with them. And when it came up I sat down and spoke to her, and she wanted to go home to London. So I said okay. I finished up my contract, we went and traveled through the States with Charlie and then came home.

 **S. Foyle**   
And you never called her grandmother and grandfather?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
The last time we saw them was when Carly told them her cancer came back and they told her it was God punishing her for being with a faggot. So no. I didn't want them in _my_ daughter's life.

 **S. Foyle**  
But they have a right to know her.

 **L. Tomlinson**  
No they don't.

 **S. Foyle**  
When Emily reached out you ignored her?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
Again, I didn't want her part of my daughter's life.

 **S. Foyle**  
Mr. Tomlinson, I don't like your hostile behavior.

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I'm not. It is simple Mr. Foyle, Emily and Wayne are terrible people. The words they said to there daughter and to me, I don't want that in my daughter's life as 'family.' I don't want people around who have called me a faggot, or a fairy. I don't want them to say things to my daughter that are hurtful and untrue about me or her mother. I know the world has those people in it and I can't stop the world for being a shit place. But, I can stop my family from acting like the arses out there.

 **S. Foyle**  
What do you plan to do for Magdalena when it comes to her growing up and more money is needed?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I am not worried about money Mr. Foyle and neither should Emily. My focus is on my daughter and I would never be foolish to not be able to provide for her. So, while I wear the clothes I wore in Uni and we don't live in a massive house and I don't drive the newest car I have enough money to provide for me, my daughter, my future family.

 **S. Foyle**  
Would you pro-

 **Judge Waters**  
This isn't a trial about his finances and if I see fit I will ask for the records for my own private viewing.

 **S. Foyle**  
No further questions.

_S. Foyle takes seat._   
_D. Smith stands._

**D. Smith**  
When you and Carly decided to have a child what was the process we went though.

 **L. Tomlinson**  
Carly had brought up the idea when we were around 22. We were about to graduate. Both of us were accepted to continue our studies. I had always wanted to be a father so I talked about it with her. We made lists after lists of the pros and the cons. We talked about what it would mean for us as single people and as a parents. So we waited, we graduated and then we both went on to med school. It was then in 2006 when sat down and talked again. I decided to go towards the RN route of medical and she would continue her studies to become a doctor. We planned on starting a family, so we saved, moved in together and we even sat down with my parents and talked it over with them. As we did with Carly's and they threw us out of the house. They told Carly to never show her face again. So we listened. In 2008 we went to the doctors and had tests done to see if it was possible from all her cancer treatments and such. But we could. We were 27 when we did the treatment. I was working as an RN and she was almost done with her residency. She worked and I worked. We had Maggie in 2009.

 **D. Smith**  
And the working situation

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I worked nights, Carly worked days, just two days a week after her maternity leave and then she gradually worked up to working full time. My mum and dad helped us out and we had one day off the same and then the other two were different so we each had time with Maggie with ourselves.

 **D. Smith**   
Why did you want to be a father?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I loved Carly - in the way that you are so connected with someone. That was me and Carly. We both wanted to be parents, to feel the joy in watching someone grow up, and love them, care for them and help them grow into a better person than you are. We both wanted that. I would never give up my choices in having Maggie. I get to watch a part of Carly every day, I get to learn and grow and see the world through the eyes of someone who sees so much beauty and faith in humanity.

 **D. Smith**  
You don't regret it?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
No.

 **D. Smith**  
When your parents passed away you packed up and went to South America. What did you do there?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
I went and I worked with doctors without borders. Maggie came with, she was able to see the world, study and get an education and escape from a place that had taken so much from us.

 **D. Smith**  
How old was she?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
Five. Carly died the day after her birthday.

 **D. Smith**  
And why did you come back?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
I loved helping others but I knew Maggie needed a stable home, for me to have a stabler job. So we got a flat, got her into a good school and I got a job. Charlie helps me out as does Harry.

 **D. Smith**  
And your romantic involvements with other people. What have they been like since Carly's death?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
I had met someone while I was in New York for a month. I had been on a few dates with a few doctors while working in other countries but nothing serious. I went on them to remind myself that I could, but I didn't seek any relationship for I wanted to focus on Maggie and make sure that she was okay. I don't think it's a crime to go out on dates, but everything I did I kept Maggie in the back of my mind.

 **D. Smith**  
What made Mr. Styles so different?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
He looks at Maggie the way that Carly did. He cares for her in a way that I never thought another human could or would want to. He assures me that I'm not a shitty father like I think I am most days. He cares for both of us and we care for him.

 **D. Smith**  
How does he act with Magdalena? And with you when all three of you are together?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
He takes care of Maggie as if she was his own. He loves her unconditionally and understands where I am in this whole situation and how Maggie is always first.

 **D. Smith**  
When you heard that Maggie had been spooked by her grandmother, what did you do?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
Called you, talked her down as she was worried she ruined my trip, which she didn't. Harry knew so he kept an eye out whilst at work. Niall told his brother who had an officers come by the house every other day and make sure things were okay. I was active in making sure that we were safe and avoiding Emily.

 **D. Smith**   
Did she ever feel unsafe in the house?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
No. Not until  she came in and dragged Maggie out of the house kicking and screaming and crying for me. That is the day everything fell apart. The day her health began to decline from the lack of medicine for her HCM. The lack of education that she has been withheld from and now might have to repeat due to it.

 **D. Smith**  
Were you active in her education?

 **L. Tomlinson**   
I would stay up with her and help with school projects and homework. I was at every parent teacher conferences, I helped with the Halloween party, I was going to help with the holiday one as well as help with the Nativity play but due to this trial none of us were able to participate.

 **D. Smith**  
Do you love your daughter?

 **L. Tomlinson**  
More than life itself.

 **D. Smith**  
No further questions.

_L. Tomlinson takes his seat._

**Judge Waters**  
Now if Mrs. Gilbert would please come and take the stand. No gimmicks and please don't be to dramatic. We just need the facts please.

_E. Gilbert walks up to the stand._   
_E. Gilbert takes oath and sits down._

**S. Foyle**  
Mrs. Gilbert, what made you want Magdalena to leave Mr. Tomlinson's house?

 **E. Gilbert**  
He is living a lifestyle that is not right. He works hours that are all over the place and Maggie is set there by herself alone in a flat.

 **S. Foyle**  
Has she been unhappy?

 **E. Gilbert**  
Who wouldn't be? Magdalena was ripped from her home at the age of five. Forced to live in countries that weren't her own. She then was forced to live in terrible conditions and then brought back. She is in a second rate school and living in a home that is in shambles. Her father made up this sickness that she has and is forcing her to take medication so that she won't be able to fight back against him and that she does whatever he says.

 **S. Foyle**   
Like what?

 **E. Gilbert**  
Agree to him dating this man he decided to just sleep with and not think about this is hurting his daughter. He also made her believe that it was okay to be with a woman and a man.

 **S. Foyle**  
Has she improved?

 **E. Gilbert**  
Yes, oh she has been so happy. She has put off the extra weight that Louis had her put on when they got home. She has been less foggy when she speaks.

 **S. Foyle**  
What has she said?

 **E. Gilbert**  
Not much. Mostly yes and no

 **S. Foyle**  
What can you provide for Magdalena that her father can't?

 **E. Gilbert**  
Stability. A house that won't move every three months. She will go to a proper primary school, pass all her A levels, attend college, Uni and be a productive citizen of the world. Her father can't offer her that. We can also provide her with money, and a stable allowance that will get her through until she marries.

 **S. Foyle**  
When did your daughter start to get manipulated by Mr. Tomlinson.

 **E. Gilbert**  
When they met. She had her own issues, she had been insecure after the cancer and when she made friends she tended to find those saw that and used that against her. Each year she got deeper and deeper with Louis and the more we lost our baby girl. When they came to the house and told us they were going to have a baby we knew that she had been brain washed. We pleaded with her that she needed to come back to us but she didn't want to be a part of that. But she left us and never told us anything. Cut us out.

 **S. Foyle**  
No further questions.

 _S. Foyles goes and sits down._  
 _D. Smith gets up_.

 **D. Smith**  
What sort of spell did Mr. Tomlinson put on your daughter? Was it drugs? A cult? What?

 **E. Gilbert**  
I don't know... but he did something to her.

 **D. Smith**  
Can you be specific?

 **E. Gilbert**  
He just lied to her. Brainwashed her. That should be enough!

 **D. Smith**   
It isn't... Could it be that you weren't close with your daughter? That she wanted to be her own self and it was hard and you didn't want that?

 **E. Gilbert**  
No. She loved us.

 **D. Smith**  
Then why did you send these emails? 

 _D. Smith hands over evidence_.

 **D. Smith**  
Emails where you called her a failure to the family. Where you called her a bitch, and someone that you were so disappointed with that gave up on the family and you wanted nothing to do with her?

 **E. Gilbert**  
I never sent those.

 **Judge Waters**  
I will determine that.

 **D. Smith**  
You had no contact with your daughter from 2006 until 2010. Minus the one time she came by when she was pregnant to see if you would talk and then when she was almost bedridden from cancer. Why does that mean you can care for her daughter?

 **E. Gilbert**  
I don't live in sin.

 **D. Smith**  
Who are you to judge what sin is? When Maggie went to stay with you why didn't you take her HCM medication?

 **E. Gilbert**  
She is't sick.

 **D. Smith**  
Just like your daughter wasn't sick?

 **E. Gilbert**  
She wasn't sick.

 **D. Smith**  
The doctor when she turned 18 said differently. But, the point is that Maggie does have HCM. Not only has the doctor testified to that, but there are medical records to prove it. Without that medicine she is slowly dying and her heart is working to heart and she will end up in hospital.

 **E. Gilbert**  
She is fine.

 **D. Smith**  
You know that denying the facts isn't going to help you Mrs. Gilbert.

 **E. Gilbert**  
You ignoring the truth won't help either. Louis is a danger to Maggie and she will die because of him.

 **D. Smith**  
How so?

 **E. Gilbert**  
She just will.

 **D. Smith**  
Sound evidence you have there Mrs. Gilbert. No further questions.

_E. Gilbert takes her seat._

**Judge Waters**  
We are going to take a recess and then we will hear from Magdalena Tomlinson.

 _Recess_. 

***

22.12.2017  
Trail #237 Tomlinson vs. Gilbert  
13:10

 **Judge Waters**  
Now I would like to call Magdalena up to the stand. We are going to let her talk. She is going to tell us what she wants to do, and from there we will have both Mr. Smith and Mr. Foyle ask her questions. She is a minor so, please keep that in mind when you are asking questions.

_Magdalena walks up to the stand._   
_Magdalena takes oath._   
_Magdalena passes out._


	23. Avalanche

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Louis watched his daughter collapse. Without even thinking his body sprung into action and he took off running from his seat over to her. The chair he was sitting in hit the back railing where the witnesses sat with a loud thud. He could hear Niall jumping up to his feet and running past the lawyers and bailiff and over to Louis. Once his feet reached Maggie he dropped down to know knees next to her. 

"Back up!" Louis voice his voice cracked as he stripped off his jacket and placed it under her head as he checked the pulse in her arm. "Call an ambulance! She has gone into cardiac arrest," he said as he tried to keep everything together. "Harold can you call - Niall help me here," he said to his mate. He heard the bodies standing up from the chairs and walking towards him. There were voices but all Louis could see was his daughter lying there. Her eyes were glassed over, there were dark circles around his eyes, and her body weight had dropped at least 6 kilos. "Maggie, darling girl listen to me, you are going to be okay," he said to her as he pushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled.

Niall was next to him as he monitored her and was there to make sure that Louis was okay in the situation. "She is going to be fine," Niall told him. "Her pulse is still good and the paramedics should be here soon."

Louis nodded his head as he held his daughter's hand there.

"I need to get to her!" he heard Emily yell. Louis's head shot up, his eyes seemed to go black as he looked at her, his chest grew tight and he wanted to wrap his hands around her neck and strangle her. "Get away from here you monster! You did this to your daughter, you should have just given her to us" -

"No," Judge Waters voice boomed as the entire chamber grew silent. "You are to stay away," his tone was serious as Louis kept his eyes on Maggie. "I want everyone to leave the chamber's but Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. Styles and Ms. Tomlinson.

Niall looked back at Louis and then up at Judge Waters and he nodded to let him stay. As everyone was leaving Louis could hear the wheels of the stretcher coming there way. "I am here darling," he said as he checked her pulse again. "Stay with us, just keep breathing," he said to her knowing that she would probably be able to hear him. Looking down he saw a red tint to his hand. Pushing her hair back he noticed blood on the floor and that she had cut her head up as well close to her neck.

"What happened?" the male paramedic asked as he dropped down to his knees and began to check her vitals.

"Her name is Magdalena Carly Tomlinson. She is seven, about to be eight years old on January 1. She has HCM and has been off her medication for the past two weeks due to her grandmother's decision. She went into cardiac arrest fifteen minutes ago. Her pulse has been steady but she has been unresponsive to anything."

The paramedic turned and looked at Louis.

"I'm a nurse over at Barts at the A&E and he is a doctor out there," motioning to Niall as he smiled and stepped away as the female paramedic helped transfer her from the ground to to the stretcher.

"She is allergic to latex, bees, and some cats. She has small veins so the best thing to do is put the IV using a butterfly needle through her hand. You won't miss, I promise," Louis assured them as he pushed himself up off the floor, leaving his suit jacket as he stood there next to his daughter. "She has also lost a lot of weight due to the stress the past two weeks so keep that in mind please."

Harry stood there and watched as Louis's medical practices took over and he stood there composed and competent as he spoke to this strangers. He on the other hand was shaking so much he couldn't even text him mum to let her know what had happened.

"She hit her head, there isn't enough blood to warrant stitches," he added as they they stuck a needle into her hand and began to get her hooked up to the vitals that she was going to need. "Don't mean to get in the way..."

"You have saved us from asking a lot of questions," the woman joked with him. "She is stable which is good," she added as they began to head on out of the courtroom. Without even thinking Louis grabbed Harry's hand and followed. He wasn't going to let either of them go.

"You can't just leave," he heard Foyle yell but he was already out of the courtroom and had given his last fuck to give. As they did some more basic tests and got her hooked up and ready for when they got to the ambulance Louis felt Harry's grip loosen and he fell back as he saw Liam waiting for him. Walking he made sure he was within arms reach of Lou at all times.

"Jo and I will grab some things at the flat," Liam said as Harry handed him his key from his pocket and handed it over to him. He didn't have time to explain as they walked through the main lobby of the courthouse and out the wooden doors. The cold air hit Harry like a smack in the face but his blood was boiling so it felt nice. Jogging down the steps he caught up with Louis as they reached the ambulance. The back doors swung open, the male paramedic jumped in, and pulled them stretcher in as Louis followed.

A hand stuck out in Louis face as the female turned to him, "only family," she told him.

Louis turned and looked at Harry, "he is family." Extending his arm he grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him up as the doors were shut. Harry sat there and listened and Louis and the paramedic spoke a whole other language as machines began to beep and IV's were attached all as Maggie laid there like a limp noodle.

"What medication is she on?"

Reaching for his mobile Louis unlocked it, pulling up a note he showed it to him which contained a list of her medications and dosages she takes. Harry needed to keep that list on him as well. There was a loud fast beep coming from one of the machines. Harry turned to see what it was, even though he had no idea.

"Pulse is dropping."

"Come on Maggs. We are almost there - you can make it," Louis said his voice cracking as he tried to hold it all together. "When you wake up, we will celebrate Christmas at the flat. I have all the _Doctor Who_ you have missed saved. I will even take off some work so it can be just us a few days," he told her as he felt her pulse slowing down.

 _I can't loose her. I can't._ He thought as he looked down and saw Carly lying there. Her hair short in a bob but thin from all the drugs. Her skin was a murky grey and eyes hollow and half dead already. Blinking he looked down and it was Maggie. _I'm so sorry Car. I fooked up real bad this time._

Resting his hand on Louis's knee Harry have it a squeeze. He wasn't sure what to say, or if there was anything to say. He was just there for him and that is what he would always be for him. There.

As soon as the ambulance came to a stop the back doors flung open and nurses came to the aid and took the stretched out. Louis quickly jumped out and Harry followed suit as the paramedic jumped out and handed over the iPad. They scanned something and took Maggie.

"Lou, we have a room for you and Harry to wait in," a nurse said as they wakes into the A&E. "I know you want to go, but we have Dan on staff tonight and Dr. Horan called ahead." Louis opened up his mouth to argue but he stopped. "Shanna take Lou and Harry to Maggs room," the nurse said as another nurse with blonde hair pulled back showed up and smiled. "We will keep you updated, and when Niall and Charlotte show up we will show them to your room."

"Ta," Louis said with a smile as Maggie was taken one way and they were show the other way. Harry laced his fingers with Louis as they walked together. When they got to the room it was a decent size hospital room. The hospital bed was up against the wall, there was a TV that was across from the bed up on the wall. There was a couch that was up against where the large window was. They had also added two extra chairs in the room for other members of the family. On the wall was one door that lead to the loo. Louis's shoes clicked on the tile as he made his way over to the couch, he quickly pulled his dress shirt out of his trousers and fished his mobile out of his pocket to see where Charlie was. Harry thanked the nurse as he shrugged off his winter jacket and suit jacket, resting them on the armrest of the cough and took a seat. He wasn't sure what else to do.

Louis began to pace in the room, his fingers tapping on his waist as he walked around. His mind was all over the place with stress, and worry about his daughter. His mind was going to the trial and that he had just left. "What if me leaving gave Emily Maggie?"

"It didn't," Harry assured him as he crossed his legs and took a deep breath in. "Don't think that for one moment darling."

"But -"

Harry reached out, grabbing Louis's hand he pulled him over to the couch and sat him down, "don't think it that way. You ran to your daughter's aid. That, that is what a father does. It's what a parent does and she can fuck off," he told him as he cupped his face. "So stop. I know you and I know that your mind is all over the place and you aren't thinking that you did anything right. You did. So stop," he told him as Niall and Charlie walked into the hospital room.

Charlie's face was blotchy from crying and Niall's eyes were red. No doubt for the same reason. "Areyna went back to get James, and she will be a runner incase we need anything," Niall told Louis as he took off his jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair he took a seat and turned to Louis. "She is going to be okay."

Louis nodded, running his hands through his hair he closed his eyes behind his glasses and did his best to hold it together. He did it for his job, and he needed to do it now for himself and for Magdalena. With his eyes closed he thought that maybe if he counted to ten and opened them up he would be back home, on the couch with Harry and Maggie curled up between them watching something on telly. But when he opened up his eyes he saw the terrible yellow light, the smell of bleach and sick and the sinking feeling in his stomach. His stomach turned as he lifted his head and saw the empty hospital room.

"Let's go for a walk," Niall said as he stood up from the chair and motioned to Louis. "We can give them the piss they call coffee and we can sneak into the break room and make some proper stuff for us," he joked as Louis rubbed the palms of his hands on his knees before he stood up. Both men left the room and Harry felt his chin quiver as his head dropped and he pressed his palms on his eyes to stop the crying. He took a deep breath in, and composed himself. Even though Louis wasn't there he didn't need a nurse walking in and seeing him distraught and he knew once he began he wouldn't be able to stop crying - it had been that hard of a day.

"Douglas said he would come by after he speaks to the judge," Charlie said to break the silence that was in the room. "She is going to be okay, right Harry?"

"I'm not sure what would happen to Louis if she isn't," his words shook as he spoke and he thought about the possibility of what would happen to the man he loved if his daughter didn't make it.

In the hallway Louis kept up with Niall as they walked down the white hallway, the white tile and yellow lights giving this odd feeling. Louis felt helpless, that he was at the mercy of the doctor who was looking at Maggie. "I never wanted to feel this way again," the words left his lips before he could stop them from escaping. Stopping in the middle of the hallway Louis closed his eyes as his legs just buckled. He tried hard to breathe but there was something blocking it, his chest felt as if it was being twisted, and all the air and life was being taken from him. His entire body seemed to shake as his knees his the floor and his back popped. When his eyes opened everything was fuzzy - it reminded Louis when you wake up to early and everything is still in a fog, that is how his entire life felt at this moment.

A joke.

A sick joke.

Something from an ill written story online.

He watched and Niall's feet moved towards him he held up his hand to give him a moment as he tried to catch his breathe but nothing. He felt the sting of warm tears in his eyes and felt a few roll down his face and hit his hand that was bracing him on the tile floor. Niall sat down, he crossed his legs and sat there and waited for Louis.

"She isn't going to die," Niall told him as a friend and a doctor. "She has the courage and strength of not only Carly but you."

Louis's breath hitched as he felt air enter his lungs again.

"They are just going to check everything and then we wait for her to wake up, she will get back on her medication and get her and you back up to the weight that you should be," reminded Niall as a nurse walked past them. Looking up at Niall Louis narrowed his eyes. "You have lost more than your fair share of weight as well Louis. I don't need you going back to that."

He nodded. Sitting down on his arse he took a deep breath in, he wiped the tears from his eyes and composed himself. With each breathe he reminded himself that Maggie was going to be okay. With each exhale he told himself that he was going to be okay. "I need to call Douglas."

"Charlie did that, he will come and tell you when he finds anything out," Niall assured him. "I need you to focus on you, and Maggie. Let us handle everything else."

Louis smiled, pushing his glasses up on his head he did his bed to rub the tears from his eyes while composing himself. Putting his glasses back on his face he pushed himself up off the ground, brushing his trousers off he adjusted his shirt. Reaching his hand out he helped Niall to his feet. "It just. This feels..."

"I know," he said to him as he pulled him into a hug. "But this isn't last time."

Louis nodded his head, he placed his hands on Niall's shoulders and smiled, making himself look as if he was better. Rolling his eyes they headed towards the break room to get coffee for everyone. Louis prepped Harry's just the way that he liked it, and told Niall that Charlie just took sugar. While nurses and doctors walked in and out they left Niall and Louis to themselves which was a relief to Louis, while he enjoyed the people that he worked with he didn't want them all in his business. As they headed back to the room where Maggie would be Dan walked up towards them.

"You are a hard man to find," he said as he stopped and put his hands in the pockets of his scrubs. "Well, Maggie is going to be okay," he told him as Louis felt a weight lift from his chest. "We checked her heart and she didn't need any surgery so we are good there. Her heart will be okay. She just needs to rest and wake up in her own time."

Louis nodded.

"So," he said, "she will be back to the room in a few moments. We have her hooked up to get some nutrients in her since she had dropped so much in weight in such a short time," he told him. "As have you..."

"I will be fixing that," Niall assured him as Louis felt like a child and his parents were talking about him as if he had no say in the matter. "Is there anything else we should know or do?"

Dan turned and looked at Louis, "I know that you are going to go into fight mode and your natural instinct is going to be to care for her, and not in the way parents do but in a medically trained way. Don't, just be her father Lou. We will do everything and go above that to care for her if you promise that you will just be her father. That is what she needs right now more than anything."

He nodded.

"Ta," he said with a smile as he gave his arm a squeeze. "I will be back around to check on her in a few hours," he promised them as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket. "I have a surgery to get to now."

As he headed down the hallway Louis stood there for a moment and let everything sink in.

Maggie was okay.

She was going to be okay.

He heart was okay.

She was going to wake up and be okay.

 _She is going to be okay_.

His body was about to go limp but he reminded himself that he had coffee and Harry would be upset if he came back with nothing for him. With more of a pep in his step the two men finished the walk back to the room, just as they turned the corner Maggie was being wheeled into the room. Louis had to remind himself not to take off running - it had been so long since he gave her a hug, kissed her on her nose, held her hand or was with her. As soon as he walked through the door and into the room Harry was standing up as they moved her from the travel bed to the one she would be in until she woke up. Louis handed Harry his coffee while he sat his down on the windowsill. Grabbing a chair, pulling it over to the side of Maggie's bed Louis took a seat, his hand held her's as she laid there.

Her skin was grey, her cheeks were sunken into her face and her entire body seemed to be that of a porcelain doll. He was afraid that he would break her if he held her hand to tight. "Hey darling girl," he said his voice shook. "Everything is going to be okay now. I promise my love."

***

Harry has never been in the hospital for a long period of time. He visited Gemma when she had Asher. He visited his grandmother when she broke her hip skiing. He even spent a few hours when Gemma had her wisdom teeth removed. Never had he made camp in a room and waited, waited as nurses walked in and out every hours on the hour to check in on Maggie. He listened to the beeps of the machines that she was hooked up to. He watches as the numbers on them changed and the lines moved up and down. No matter who came in or what they did Louis was sitting in the chair, next to Maggie and listening. He fully understood what was happening and all the lingo that they spoke, most of it went over Harry's head. While he would doze in and out of sleep but Louis was a machine and stayed awake.

His eyes were bloodshot as he sat there, his hand holding Maggie's hand as he would tell her stories, hum her favorite songs or just sit there with her. Louis never even flinched as Liam and Jo came into the room. Getting up Harry took the bags from them, thanking them again for helping out.

"If you need anything," Liam said to him as he pulled his mate into a hug. "We are here for you man."

Harry nodded. He thanked them again as he turned to Louis.

"It's okay," Liam assured him. "Just call mate."

Finding space for the bags Harry set them down on the ground, and sat back down on the couch. He wasn't sure what else to do. Slipping his mobile out of his pocket he unlocked it and pulled up the chat with his mum.

**Hey -**

He erased that. He wasn't sure how to text her.

**Mum. We are at hospital now. Please don't worry or panic. Maggie had an issue with her heart condition. She is okay. Stable. We are just waiting for her to wake up now. I'm sorry that we won't be able to make it to Christmas, or anything this year. I love you dad and Gem. Please, don't worry about us. I am here with Lou and Charlie. I will keep you updated when I know more. - Harry.**

Hitting send he locked his mobile and flipped his phone upside down and closed his eyes. He knew that his mother was going to read that and worry. That's what she does. She cares about him and Louis and Maggie even though she had never met her before. He could see her face now, how she would call over his father and he would have to talk her down. He would be the one to call and talk to him as he would hear his mother in the back talking at the same time. Opening his eyes Harry saw Charlie slipping on her coat, "Niall is going to drop me off at my flat so I can get clothes and change," she told him as Louis sat there. "Do you need anything whilst I'm out?

Harry shook his head no.

"I will be back Lou," Charlie told her brother as she walked over to him and kissed the top of his head. "Harry will be here with you."

Nothing, He just sat there.

"Call if anything comes up," she told Harry with a smile as Niall held the door open for her and they left the room. Harry just watched as Louis sat there, he was worried for he knew the man hadn't properly slept in several days nor had he had anything to eat that was more than broth, cookies or coffee. Sitting there his mind began to wonder about what he could be doing - what he needed to do when Maggie woke up and began to prep for when his father called him with his mum having a panic attack.

Standing up, Harry bend over, stretching out his back he heard it pop before standing up, as he lifted each leg one at a time to his chest he reached up over his head. "I'm going to get some tea. I am going to make you a cuppa and some food which you will eat," he told Louis as he walked over to him. Placing his hands on his shoulder he kissed Louis on the top of the head. "I love you Lou."

Louis nodded his head as Harry went to go and find the place to make tea. Thankfully he had help with the assistance of a nurse who showed him where the break room was for the nurses and doctors. He thanked the nurse that showed him, her name escaped his mind as he was in a bit of a fog as well. His body seemed to be just going through the motions in making two cuppas, he then grabbed some crisps and chocolate from the vending machine and then quickly headed back to the room. Sadly nothing had changed, Louis sat there, his hands hold Maggie's as his body was hunched over, his eyes heavy with sleep and body seemed to be just frozen in time and space as he sat there. Composing himself he took a step into the silent and still room, as he walked over he set his cuppa on the armrest of the couch and walked over to Louis. Extending his hand he held out the tea for Louis. "Tea." It was more of a statement than a suggestion for Louis.

Turning his head, Louis looked at Harry his mouth opened to protest when he held up his left hand to stop him from protesting. "You need something, and I know that you will take the food, take a bite and then set it down and let it go to waste." Louis rolled his eyes, reaching up he took the tea that Harry had made for him and nodded his head as a thank you. "... and crisps?" he asked raising a brow as Louis's eyes fluttered and he looked back at Magdalena. He tried, but he would make him eat at some point.

He wasn't going to push him to change and leave his daughter's side, just yet. Harry took several steps before he grabbed his bag that Liam had packed for him and headed into the bathroom to change out of his suit. With each piece of clothing came off and he slipped on his skinny jeans and oversized jumper he felt a bit better. Quickly folding his suit and shirt he shoved those back into his bag and walked back out into the hospital room as Niall and Charlie arrived back from getting her things.

She set her bag down with the rest and then dropped her rucksack on the couch as she walked over and took a seat next to her brother and watched Maggie. Harry felt helpless, his chest felt hollow and that he was just there, not sure what to say or do he was just taking up space. He felt a lump growing in his throat and his eyes began to sting. He had cried so much the past several days that he wasn't sure if there were anymore to shed.

"Thank you," Harry managed to say as he took his eyes off of Louis and towards Niall. He was still in his clothes from the trail. He looked just as exhausted as Harry felt. "I wish I had more energy and could form words."

Niall smiled, "my brother is going to have an officer outside of Maggs door just to keep an unwanted visitor out," explained Niall. "That way you can also get Lou to shower and eat."

"My next hurtle to jump," he laughed as he walked Niall to the door. "You are a good friend to Lou, I understand why he sees you and your wife and James as family."

"Welcome to the crazy family that it is," joked Niall with a small smile. "He is in his head.... This is just. There is a lot going on in his brain that is making him think this is going to be," Niall turned his head as he heard some commotion coming from the nurses stand. "He keeps thinking this is like Car -" he stopped as around the corner Emily walked towards them.

Her shoes clicked on the floor as her eyes were almost black, her face red from anger and no doubt the cold wind outside. Her purse kept falling off her shoulder as nurses yelled after her, and she yelled back at them. She had gone crazy. As she took another step two officers came running from around the corner and stood in front of her. She went to push them when she grabbed her arm. "Don't touch me!" she hissed they took her by her arm and lead her out of the hospital. "That man in there is going to kill my granddaughter!" she yelled as a few people stuck there head out of there room to see what was going on.

Subconsciously Niall and Harry stood in the doorway, blocking her from even seeing Maggie. Both men were so focused on watching Emily as she thrashed her body back and forth screaming at the top of her lungs about Louis wanting to kill Maggie they didn't realize that Louis had stood up and was standing behind them watching everything unfold.

"That bastard killed my daughter and now he is going to kill all that is left of her in her child. The child he made her have after ra-" but she was cut off as Louis moved past Niall and Harry and walked towards her. He saw that she was being handed off to another set of officers that were not employed at the hospital for emergencies. Standing toe to toe with her, Louis looked her up and down and smiled.

"Fook off."

After the words left his mouth he turned on his heels and walked back to Maggie's room. He could hear her yelling something but he paid her no mind. With each step he felt a weight off his chest. He placed a hand on Niall's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze he walked past both of his friend and back this chair.

"Call if you need anything and when she wakes up," he said to him. "We will come round tomorrow. I will send you a text before doing so."

"Ta," Harry said to him as he gave Niall a hug and he left. Shutting the door Harry made his way through the small room and over the couch. Taking his seat he reached for his now cold tea, he didn't care. Like any proper Englishman he was going to drink it and try and keep his mind off of what was really going on in front of his eyes.

 

***

The room was silent all for the sound of pencil on paper. Harry's mind drifted as his eyes grew heavy and soon he was still as his body was in and out of sleep. Sometimes his body would jolt awake only to drift back into a dream state. Charlie's mind was all over the place. She couldn't focus on her Uni work that was due when she got back, her hand was just drawing as her mind was replaying the events of the day and the past week in her head over and over and over again. Her eyes heavy and she looked down at the photo of Maggie, Louis and Harry. Squeezing them shut she counted to five. Opening them up, her vision was foggy as she looked up and saw Dylan standing there in the doorway with two bags of takeaway in his hand.

Setting her sketch pad down next to her, she stood up and made her way out of the room, shutting the door she stood toe to toe with Dylan in the hallway. She wasn't even sure what time it was, the entire day seemed to be lasting forever at this point. "Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked as she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss. "I thought your brother was in town and you were going to your nan's?" she asked him. Without saying a word Dylan set the bags down and pulled her into a hug. Her entire body just collapsed into his hug.

"He is 15," he said to her as he kissed the top of her head. "And he is with my nan. I came with food that she made for you, Louis and Harry," he explained kissing her once more on the top of the head before he looked down at her. His sandy blonde hair fell in his face as he smiled. "So, I have soup, sandwiches, some kind of pasta or something, I'm not 100 percent sure but there is enough food in there for you and your family that can cover till after boxing day."

Charlie felt a lump swelling in her throat as she stood there and looked down at her feet. She felt Dylan's hand on her chin, lifting her head up he smiled at her, cupping her face he kissed the tip of her nose. "Thank you." Those were the only words that she could make come out of her mouth. Dylan wrapped her in his arms and held her as her body began to shake. She had done her best to keep it together for Louis. He had been here before, sitting at the hospital bedside as Carly slowly deteriorated. She had learned how to put on a brave face but now she needed to have a moment to let it just consume her and to let all her emotions out before entering back into the hospital room. Her body shook and Dylan just stood there with her.

"I am here my lucky charm. I am here for you, your brother, Harry and Maggie. Whatever and whenever," his voice was calm as he spoke to her. His shirt was wet from her tears. Charlie took a few steps back, with her hands she wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat as she composed herself before going back into the room. "I have the Christmas gift for Maggie in there as well," Dylan said bending down and grabbing the bags before handing them to Charlotte. "You can open it for her if you want, or wait for her to come round."

"Ta."

"I can swing by tomorrow or Christmas if you want - or wait till you are back home."

"Christmas," she said taking the food. "I think we could all use a good cheer up if things don't improve," she told him. "Thank you so much," she said again looking down. "I can't say how much I... " she paused, "thank you Dyl. God, thank you," she smiled and looked up at Dylan.

"I love you Char, I just wish that I could take this pain away. But I am here for you," he said as he stopped as he realized what words just came out of his mouth. "I... oh fuck."

A laugh escaped his lips, "I love you to you weirdo," she said. "Thank you for the food. I will keep you updated about Maggs."

"Please," he said. "This will be okay, all of this will be okay in the end."

"I hope," she told him with a smile, her hand laid on the handle to the hospital door as she turned the handle and headed on back inside to continue to play the waiting game.

***

3:47 am his mobile read as he looked at the home screen. He was to old for pulling these weeks without sleep. Sure, he could do it when in Uni. Even when Maggie was born he would come home from a shift at the A&E and stay up, feed her, put her down for her nap. Get a few hours and then be up to change, bathe, and then spend time with her. He did it for almost three years and never felt tired or worn out. But now his entire body seemed to have just collapsed and stop working. Turning his head, he saw his sister was curled up on the couch she was using his hoodie as a pillow and Harry's winter jacket as a coat. Harry was sitting next to him, his head was rested in the palm of his hand as he was fast asleep. His lips moved ever so slightly as if he was about to start talking in his sleep. His eyes wondering back over to Maggie. 

Her body laid there. Her hands to her side, hair matted around her head as she had the oxygen tube in her nose, her right hand was hooked up to the IV, the liquid so that she would stay hydrated and then the other one that was giving her the food to help gain back the weight she had lost since living with Emily. The faint beeping of the machines was that of a comfort to Louis at this point. 

 _I need to get groceries_ Louis thought to himself as he pulled his legs up to his chest, the tops of his feet hung over the chair as he rested his chin between them. _I also need to get Maggie some new clothes for the summer and spring. She hasn't had nice new clothes for a few years now. I should also update my clothes .... try and look a bit nicer to keep up with Hazza. I can donate the old ones so they get put to good use. I should call Sterling. Get the blue prints for the house and go over them with him. And Harry. Yeah, that will be nice._ He thought with a yawn. 

 _Fook._ He ran his hands through his hair. _Carly what do I do? God you were so much better at this than me - even when you were sick as a fooking dog you had more courage and strength then I ever did or will ever have. God... Carly just. I'm sorry. I am sorry that I let you down. I am sorry that your mother is such a fooking arse. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect our baby girl like I said I would - like... like I promised you. I will make it better... I will do all that I can to make it better._ Looking up to the ceiling Louis inhaled, counting to ten he exhaled and looked back at his daughter.

"I am sorry," he whispered. "I am so so sorry."


	24. Happy Birthday to Lou

The past 48 hours seemed like years.

48 years of silence almost.

Harry had jolted awake a little after 6 when a nurse came in. She had talked with Louis for a few moments about something, it all was in a fog as he was still half asleep. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he saw that Louis was still awake, his eyes were red and swollen from the days of no sleep. Somehow there was coffee and fruit and yogurt for them as he came to it. He was happy that he had touched his tea and had attempted to eat part of the banana. It was better than nothing. When Charlie woke up went out to get coffee from Starbucks and stretch her legs a bit. 

"Do you need anything?" Harry asked Louis as he stood up to stretch out his own back and legs. Walking up to the wall he placed the heels of his feet against the baseboards and bent down towards his feet as he felt his back stretch out and pop a few times. Grunting he stood up, lacing his fingers together he reached towards the ceiling , arching his back he felt the rest of him stretched out. 

As he did so he watched as Louis moved in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position to sit in. He wasn't even going to ask him, reaching back down he dug through Louis's bag and found his bottle of pain medicine for his back. Grabbing the bottle he walked over to his stubborn boyfriend, extending his hand out in front of Louis's face. "Don't fight with me or I will get a nurse to hold you down as I shove them into your mouth," he said to him with an arched brow as Charlie walked back into the room, she had coffee in one hand and a bag of no doubt goodies in the other. 

"Long coffee break?" 

"Smart arse I went with Dylan," she told him as she dropped the bag in his lap. "And you can get your coffee after you take you meds," she told him giving Harry a wink. "You are worse than your daughter, you do know that right?" 

Louis had annoyance written all over his face as he took the bottle from Harry's hand. Opening up the cap he dumped one into his hand, shoved it down his mouth he swallowed it and opened his mouth up, sticking his tongue out so Harry and Charlie could see that he had taken in. "Coffee, please," he said as he reached up and Charlie handed him his drink. 

She took a seat back on the couch as she pulled Harry's drink from the cup holder and handed it to him, "drink it before you shower or it will grow cold," she told him as he took it and let the caffeine his his lips and body. 

"Ta," Harry told her with a smile as he stretched his legs up to his chest and did his best to wake the rest of his body up from being so tense. "Do you want to go for a walk Lou? Charlie can stay with Maggie for a bit?" he suggested wanting to get him up and moving and not just when he had to go and take a piss. 

Louis shook his head, "no, I'm okay," he told him as he looked down in the bag Charlie had dropped into his lap. 

"What is that?" 

"It's a bi-" 

Louis turned to his sister, "nothing." 

Rolling her eyes she took another sip of her coffee. Setting it on the window ledge she shrugged off her jacket and removed her scarf. "Apparently nothing." 

Not sure what they were up to, Harry finished up his coffee before gathering his things and heading to the showers in the break room. As soon as he left Charlie took her booted foot and kicked her brothers chair. Causing it to slide closer to Maggie's bed and the coffee spilt out of it and into his lap. 

"It's your fooking birthday you prick. Why doesn't he know this?" she hissed at him as he set his coffee on the floor and stood up to change out of his clothes. "Change into real clothes Lou. For Maggie's sake okay." 

Sticking up his middle finger at his sister he grabbed his bag and headed into the loo. 

"God, you are such a cranky baby when you haven't slept," Charlie said rolling her eyes at her brother as she gathered up her own bathing stuff to go when Harry got back. "You can sleep, I think that Harry and I could watch her as you closed your eyes for like an hour or two," she suggested to her brother. "Dylan said he might stop by tonight after dinner with his nan and brother is that is okay?" 

"Fine with me," Louis told her as he walked out in a clean pair of skinny jeans and a nice grey jumper on. "You know you could go and spend the holiday with him if you wanted a proper one. I won't be upset and neither would Harry." 

Cocking her head, Charlie pushed her hair behind her ears and just shook her head at her brother as she pulled out an olive green dress and black tights from her bag. "You are so thick you do know that right," she told him as she pulled out a light brown over sized cardigan as well. "I put your ice cream cake in the fridge with the food Dylan had brought us. So you are either going to eat it alone and like a pathetic 36 year old man you are being right now, or," she said to her brother as she checked her mobile and placed her hands on her hips, "you can tell a man who loves you that it is your birthday and you can take five minutes out of watching over Maggie to enjoy your birthday or at least pretend to enjoy it." 

Louis just stood there as she smiled at him and as Harry walked back in. He was dressed in his fitted grey trousers, paired with a white button up shirt that was tucked in with a black cardigan on over the shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was styled back, still semi went from his shower. But his face was shaved, teeth brushed and he felt like he had a second wind. "Go and shower and then we can all eat." 

Charlie tapped his face, "have fun. He is cranky," she warned Harry as she gathered up her items and headed on out to shower. 

"Cheers," he joked as he nudged Louis and he just shook his head. Walking back over to his bag, Louis tossed his dirty clothes in the bag and checked his mobile he had left in the room. 

 **What is the room number for Maggie? - Mum**  

**356\. Why?- Harry**

**Just curious in case I call. - Mum**

**Sure... what are you up to mum? - Harry**

**Nothing love - Mum**

Harry slid his mobile into his pocket and ignored his mother. He knew that she was up to something, maybe it was for them, or for the nurses working who are taking care of Maggie. Either way - he had this feeling that she was up to no good and his father wouldn't be able to stop her. She was just as stubborn as the man he was dating. "So," Harry said as he took a seat on the couch as Louis sat back in his chair and used the one that Harry was sitting in to prop his feet up on. "What was your family traditions growing up on Christmas Eve?" Harry asked Louis as he took his coffee and shrugged. "Come on, every family, no matter how weird it is has traditions."

Propping his coffee in his lap he was going to give in to Harry like he always did. "My mum would cook, my dad would help and he would also have some Christmas film on or music. We would decorate the flat and spend the day together. Have dinner and then watch _Grease_."

Harry looked confused over at Louis, "why that film?"

Hesitating, Louis moved a bit in the chair to help the pain in his lower back, "our family has a rule that on your birthday, you got your favorite meal and got to watch your favorite film."

"Okay.... But..." Harry trailed off and then stopped as it dawned on him. "Louis William Tomlinson you right bastard never told me it was your bloody birthday!" he said as he reached over and slapped him in his arm. Flinching he snarled at Harry and narrowed his eyes. "Why the hell didn't you say something? I feel like a terrible human and boyfriend right now."

Louis shrugged and waved his hand. "It's just another day. It just reminds me that I am now 36 years old and not getting any younger," he explained to him. "So this," he said as he held up the bag, "is a gift from Maggie and there is a cake for me - us."

Harry couldn't believe it, he wanted to punch him in the face and kiss him all at the same time. "I'm sorry that you have to spend your birthday here in Hospital," he told him as he stood up and walked over to him. Removing the coffee from his lap he set it on the ground and sat down in Louis's lap. "Happy Birthday you bastard," he told him as he cupped his face and gave him a kiss. "I should punch you for not telling me." 

"That would be mean," he told him as he rested his head on his shoulder, "and don't worry about today. I have had far worse birthdays than this one." 

"Worse than this?" Harry asked as he looked down at Louis and pushed the fringe from his eyes. "Is that possible?" 

"How long do we have?" joked Louis as he cleared his throat and began to tell Harry all about his failed birthdays and or birthday parties over the 18 years of his life.  He told him about the birthday he got the stomach flu but wouldn't tell his mum for he wanted to have his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle party and he ended up getting sick halfway through and all the kids had to go home. He also told him how his dad purchased him his first legal pint at 18 after he got his license to drive. He then talked about the birthday Charlie broke her hand as they were out on bikes and she fell for a bully threw something at her and he ended up with a busted nose for the kid who hurt his sister. He even talked about how hard it was his first birthday after Carly had passed, and his parents. How it was somber, they didn't do much but he spent it with Charlie and Maggie. As he spoke Harry watched as the Louis he met what seemed like years ago came back. The color came back into his face and the life in his eyes.

"So, this isn't the worst but it's not the best," he laughed as Charlie came back into the room and made her way to put her things away. "We can celebrate later... when all of this is done with and settled."

"I will keep you to that," Harry told him as he gave him a wink and Louis rolled his eyes.

There was a knock on the door, it must have been noon for a Jacque, the nurse walked in with a smile on her face to check in on Maggie. She had a Santa hat on and red and green scrubs for today. Once she left he was going to suggest they heat up some of the food that Dylan had brought them and maybe put on the telly to make things seem more festive. 

"She is doing well, any time now I'm sure she will wake up," she told them with a sweet smile. "Oh, there are also some special Santa helpers here to see you lot," she said as she walked out and in walked Harry's family. 

His father had a Santa hat on and carried two large bags which no doubt housed food. His mother followed next, she had on her holiday jumper, candy cane earrings and anther two bags in her hands. Gemma and Seb followed as Asher walked behind them dressed in his holiday clothes as well. Standing up from Louis's lap Harry felt a lump in his throat as Gemma walked up to her brother and pulled him into a hug. "Mum, dad what are you doing here?" 

Carlton set the bags down and took the ones from his wife as everyone began to shrug off their coats. "Well, we decided to come out to London for the holidays, and since we decided that, we brought you all a proper dinner that we can have as a family," Poppy told her son as he heard her voice crack as she saw Maggie. "Is there a place where we could get a few extra chairs?" 

"Break room..." Harry said as he shook his head confused. "I will show you dad," he told his father as they headed out of the room. Louis quickly stood up from his chair and gave Poppy, Gemma and Seb a hug. Louis now felt like a slob as they looked like they had come from church and he hadn't showered in five days. The stubble on his chin needed to be shaved and he needed to brush his teeth as well. 

"Sorry for the way I look," he told them as Poppy just shook her head and began to unpack the food and set the items on the windowsill. 

She waved her hand in the air, "darling, I would be in worse shape than you were so you just know you are going to eat something and get meat back on those bones of yours," she told him as Harry and Carlton came back with chairs and a folding table for them to all eat on. "Now, we haven't met. I'm Poppy, Harry's mother," she said as as she walked over to Charlie. 

"Charlotte. Louis's sister," she told her as she began to help Gemma. "And you must be the famous sister Gemma." 

"I'm worried now," she joked with them as she pulled out the wine and set it on the table. "Now, we have a proper dinner so if it's to much food you can blame mum for you know how she is," Gemma joked as they moved the food to the middle of the table while Charlie set it. 

Louis wasn't even sure where to begin. They had starters for everyone from shrimp cocktail and cheese crackers and bread. They had a roasted chicken for them to eat, with the sides of roasted potatoes, stuffing, some veggies that looked like carrots and broccoli. They also had rolls on top of it all. No doubt there were deserts as well in some bag and the cake that Gemma had gotten him. Once the table was set everyone took there seat and Poppy handed out the poppers leaving one for Maggie by her feet. 

"While, this isn't the most ideal holiday dinner, it is one with family," Poppy said as she lifted her glass. "So, to family we have known our entire life, and to the new family that has been created by two people who love each other." 

Everyone clicked there glasses together and took a sip of the wine. Carlton began to hand out slices of chicken as everyone added the fixings to their plates and began to chat about there favorite Christmas's, traditions and the word got out that it was Louis' birthday which made Poppy feel just as bad as her son for not knowing. While everyone ate something didn't feel right. Pushing himself away from the table, he walked over and put on the telly in Maggie's room. Muting it he turned on the _Doctor Who_  marathon that was going on. 

"She wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled as he kissed his daughter's head and walked back to his seat at the table. In a cramped hospital room. But it felt like home to Louis. 

***

Dinner was a few hours, and once they had finished Louis helped Poppy pack up the extras and they decided to give them to the nurse and doctor who were on all tonight. They thanked them over and over as they left a few small gifts for them to open up tomorrow and Poppy told Louis he is never to keep a birthday from her again. After they had left Jacque came to check in on Maggie one more time before her shift was over and Olivia took over for her. Charlie was passed out on the couch from eating such good food while Louis sat in his chair feeling bloated and sick to his stomach as he hadn't eaten that much food in several days, and he hadn't had anything that rich in weeks. 

"You're mum is amazing," Louis told Harry as he walked out of the loo and rubbed his eyes. "That food - how are you so bloody skinny? I would be a blimp if I lived with that cooking." 

Laughing he shrugged and took a seat next to him. "High metabolism?" he guessed. "I'm glad that you ate, I was worried about you... I know that this is. This sucks but I don't want to worry about your health. It's to much darling," he said leaning forward and kissing the back of Louis's neck. "Also, you need to shower tomorrow," he laughed as Louis smelt a bit. "When do you think Charlie will be back from her desert with Dylan?" 

"I hope she is off snogging him," he joked. "She needs to act her age every now and then." 

"I have never once wanted my sister to snog anyone," laughed Harry as he shook his head. "God, even the idea makes me cringe." 

"She is married you know, and does a hell of a lot more than that," Louis reminded him as Harry covered his ears and began to sing really loud so not to hear what Louis was telling him. "God, you are like a child," he joked as he turned around and poked Harry to make him stop. But all that did was made his squirm in his chair and his feet began to kick in the air to try and block Louis's hands. 

"Knock, knock," came a voice as Douglas stood in the doorway with a gift bag in his hand. "Is now a good time?" 

"Yes," Harry said as he kicked Louis's chair. As it moved he stood up and flicked Harry in the back of his head as he made his way over to Douglas. 

"Happy Birthday," he said as he handed him the gift. "I just need a few moments and then you can go back to Maggie." Louis nodded, he handed the bag to Harry and headed out in the hallway with Douglas as they walked for a bit. It was past dinner time, most family members had gone home already and the floor was fairly silent. "I had a meeting with Judge Waters today and Foyle. He tried to get the case thrown out and have it start over again the judge shut him down," explained Douglas as they stopped in the small waiting area that was now empty from those waiting to see family members. "He said that he had seen enough and that Emily was to stay 500 feet away from her at all times. No contact with her, and unless Maggie goes to a judge and says that she wants to speak to her, she will be arrested for trying. She can't contact you or anyone that you know or she will be slapped with a fine," he said as Louis stood there listening to the words but waiting to hear the one word he wanted to hear the most. 

Douglas placed a hand on Louis's shoulder, smiling at his friend he nodded his head, "you won Lou. Maggie won't ever be taken from you again. She will go home after this. She will be home with you and Harry where she belonged to begin with."

Placing his hand on the wall Louis had to brace himself. He had won. _He had won!_ His legs gave out and he felt light headed and giddy, as if he could jump up in the air, do several back flips and he wanted to kiss Harry and spread the good news. Closing his eyes he listened to Douglas as he talked about other legal stuff and a few other things but all it was was words. 

"I will call after boxing day and go over everything with you," Douglas told him as he hugged his friend. "Carly is smiling down on you and Maggie right  now." 

"Thank you," Louis said to him as he looked at his friend. "I mean it - thank you for everything Douglas." 

He smiled, "Happy Birthday Lou," he said as he turned on his heels and headed out of hospital and back to his own family. Taking a few moments to gather himself Louis took a deep breathe in. 

He had won. 

It was over.

Maggie was going to be in her home.

She was going to be okay. Actually okay.

 _Breathe_. He reminded himself as he felt his eyes filling with tears and slowly falling down the side of his face. Covering his mouth an excited yelp escaped his lips as he turned around in a circle and felt happy. He needed to go and tell Harry. He needed to see Harry, and be there with Maggie. As soon as his brain began to function properly he took off running down the hallway, turning into her room Harry looked up from his chair and saw that Louis had been crying. Standing up Louis smiled and pulled him in a hug, he kissed his cheek, and then his lips. Running his hands through his hair and cupping his face he smiled at his Harry. "We won." 

"What?!" he yelled. 

"We fooking won love!" he called out as he saw the tears leave Harry's eyes and he kissed him. 

 _He had fooking won_. 

***

When Charlie had gotten back she had fallen on the ground with excitement as she let out a cry of happiness. It took everything for Louis not to run up and down the hallways letting the world know that Maggie was able to come home with him when it was time. The rest of the night they had _Doctor Who_ on the telly, Charlie showed off her Christmas present from Dylan, Louis and Harry talked about plans to celebrate later in the year once they were home. But more than anything Louis had moving to Doncaster on the forefront of his mind. While he and Harry went for a walk to get some coffee he brought up the subject again, wanting to see what he felt.

"I know that I sprung this on you before," he said as they walked hand in hand down to the break room, "but what would your thoughts be about Doncaster? It would take a while to get the house fixed up," he told him as it neared midnight and the entire floor of the hospital was still. Not a creature was stirring. "It's a big..." Louis looked down at his shoes as they rounded the corner of the hospital hallway. "It's a lot. I know that, but I want us to finally be a proper family."

Harry reached out, lacing his fingers with Louis's and slowed down his pace of walking. "Which means?" he asked drawing out what Louis was thinking in his head.

"Me, you, Maggs, a room for Charlie for when she comes to visit," he said taking a deep breathe in. "I want us to be a family. I want Maggie to have both of us to come home to, I want to wake up next to you, I want to get mad when you tell me to put away my shoes that are in a pile by the door," he said as Harry laughed shaking his head. "I want us to finally have what we should of had a long time ago. Not letting my fears get in the away, or Emily."

Harry looked at the man who he loved, his face was red, eyes were blood shot but his spirit was alive and well. He processed all that Louis had said to him, he wanted all of that. He wanted a home where he would see Louis when he got home from work. He wanted to eat dinner with Maggie and him every night. He wanted to tell him to pick up his bloody shoes and fight and then snog on their bed to make up from it. He wanted everything with Louis. "It sounds like you are proposing to me in a hospital," laughed Harry. "It's very Ross Geller don't you think?"

Louis stopped and scowled at him, "fine stay in London," he said as he turned and was about to walk into the break room. 

A laugh escaped Harry's lips as he pulled Louis back by his hand towards him. "I would love that, I can see what school are out there and apply for open spots come the new school year," he told him as Louis smiled. "Wait.... Are you proposing to me?"

Louis's cheeks flushed red as he looked over to see Charlie, out of breathe as she rounded the corner. "She is up," she said. Dropping Harry's hand Louis took off running, his trainers hitting the linoleum floor with force as he rounded the corner and made his way into his daughter's hospital room.

Moving past the nurse that was in the room checking her Louis took his seat, brushing her hair away from her face he looked at his daughter, tears welled up in his eyes and fell as he kissed her gently. "Oh, my darling," he said his voice cracking with each syllable he spoke. "Baby girl, oh my Maggie," his eyes stung from the tears that fell. 

"Dad..." she said as her voice cracked, he grabbed her an ice chip and handed to her to suck on. Her eyes grew wide as she saw Harry run into the room. "Did we... did we win?" 

Nodding his head he pressed his forehead against her and kissed her nose. "You get to come home darling," he broke down as the tears began to fall and wouldn't stop falling form his eyes. "We all get to go home." 

Louis took a seat on her bed as Harry walked around and took a seat on the other side. He placed his hand on her knee that was covered in blankets, giving it a squeeze he felt his throat grow tight as he was relieved to see Maggie awake and smile again. Her blue eyes looked at him and he knew that all the crap was behind them. Reaching over he took Louis's hand and kissed it. "Hey you," he said as he smiled at Maggie who smiled the best that she could back at him. "I'm glad to see that smile again."

Maggie smiled one more time before the nurse came in and handed Louis a cup of water with a straw for her. Taking the cup he held it for her as she drank it all, her throat felt less like sandpaper now. She was still groggy and felt as if she as in a cloud of smoke. "Don't rush yourself to talk," Louis told her. "You will be fine, just take it easy. We will have a doctor come in and check on you tomorrow and then we will be home boxing day or the day after," he told her as he pushed the curls out of her eyes. 

"Okay," she said as she closed her eyes. "I'm hungry." 

Charlie stood by her brother, "I will go and heat up some broth for her," she said. "God, you like to make us worry don't you. Just like your father," she joked kissing her nieces head and heading to head up the broth for her. Louis wanted to hold her, but he knew she was going to be in and out of sleep due to the meds for the next several hours and it would be easier to have her sleep then bother her. 

"The answer to your questions in the hallway," Louis said as he looked over at Harry, "it is yes."


	25. One Year Later

“Sit,” Harry said pointing to Louis as he grabbed the dishes that had crumbs from his birthday cake on it. “Maggs, why don’t you grab a present for each of us to open,” he said as he stepped over the sleeping pug on the floor.

Louis rolled his eyes, “I had back surgery, I’m not broken,” Louis reminded him turning around in the couch as Harry walked past the kitchen table and into the kitchen. “I got my brace off and should be moving…”

Harry just shook his head, his ring on his finger clinked as he picked up the plate and ran it under the water before putting it in the dishwasher. Waving his hand in the air Louis turned back as Maggie marched over to the tree in her new (tardis) blue jimjams and began to examine the presents and what one she wanted to open, and what one her dad and papa should open. It had been a long year since the scare at the hospital with Maggie. A long year that in the 12 months since they had left Barts all three of their lives had changed. This holiday season Harry had gone all out - the entire outside of the house was decorated, tastefully but festively. Inside the house looked like Santa’s house vomited but Maggie loved it so Louis loved it.

Today they had everyone over for Louis’s birthday, while he didn’t want to make a big deal about it Harry told him that he had to make up from last year and he had gone all out, decorations, food, cake and presents. They had opted to have Christmas as the Styles-Tomlinson clan and then on Boxing Day they all were going to Cheshire to spend it with Harry’s family. Walking back to the living room Harry set down a cuppa for Louis and took a seat next to him on the couch as Maggie grabbed two bags from under the tree. A medium sized bag for her and a flat looking envelope bag for Harry.

“Where is yours?” Harry asked as Maggie handed Harry his gift and she took a seat on the wood floors by the fire next to Rose.

Pointing to the pile of new clothes for Uni and leather bag for books he turned to Harry, “that is enough for me to open today,” he told him. “Why doesn’t Magie go first and then you can open yours and we can all go to bed,” he laughed with a yawn. “I’m an old man remember.”

Maggie just rolled her eyes at her father as she tore the red tissue paper out of the bag and pulled out a black t-shirt that had a gold star on it and the words ‘Rise Up’ on it. “It’s the shirt I wanted!” She cried as she held it up to her. “It’s brilliant thank you!” She was about to slip it on when Louis shook his head and reached out for the shirt.

“Before you wear it we are going to wash it,” Louis told her as her head dropped. Extending his hand she handed it over to him. “I will wash it tonight and you can wear it tomorrow.” Her face lit back up as she liked that idea. Louis wanted to burst for he knew there was a box sitting in her Christmas sock that was going to make her lose it even more than the shirt she wanted so bad from a musical that almost cost Louis selling his left kidney on the black market on some weird Russian website that was all in Spanish. “Okay, now it’s papa’s turn,” Louis said as he turned and looked at Harry who had hesitation in his eyes.

“I’m worried,” he said as he began to remove the paper.

“Why?” Louis asked him.

Stopping, he took a deep breathe in, “you and Maggie both have those evil maniacal look on your face. The one you have when you eat all the cookies I make, or when you put a hole in the new wall we had just put in because you were dicking around with a football,” he said as Maggie covered her face and laughed. “See,” he pointed panic beginning to stir in his chest. “I want a different one.”

Maggie shook her head, standing up she walked over to Harry and sat down on the grey couch between him and her father. “Please,” she said her tone was serious and Harry knew that he had to go on. “It’s nothing bad and if you don’t like it you can hit dad.”

“What?” Louis said.

“Deal!” Harry laughed as he finished removing the wrapping paper and saw a thin envelope. Opening up the envelope, reaching in he pulled out several papers. Setting the envelope down he looked down at the papers and froze. His hands began to shake as he looked up at Maggie, his eyes were blurry from the tears. His face was flushed red as he then turned over to Louis. “Really?”

Louis nodded, biting his bottom lip he reached out next to Harry and gave his hand a squeeze as Maggie stood there smiling down at Harry. “You already are my papa, even before you and dad got married. But,” she told him. “I would like it to be official.”

Without saying a word, he let go of Louis’s hand and pulled Maggie into a hug. He kissed her on the top of the head and the tears escaped from his eyes as Maggie gave her papa a hug back. “I love you papa and I know it’s just a piece of paper but I want you to know that you are and will always be my papa. I know that you love me and you love my father and that is what makes our family so amazing - we love each other and we have fun and I know that you put up with us and the Tomlinson blood in us,” she said as Harry laughed as a few more tears fell. “So, I talked with dad and we went to Mr. Douglas and signed the papers, we just need you to sign them.”

Taking a hand he wiped the tears and kissed the top of her hand. He never thought he was going to get to have the feeling of having his own child. Even with Maggie he felt at times that he had come into her life and was there but never a father to her. But now, as his chest fluttered and he just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and hold her forever.

“Can you talk darling?” Louis asked Harry as he shook his head no. “I told you he would love it,” he said to Maggie as she leaned back and looked up at Harry. “You have been a father to her since you were her teacher Harry, and there is nothing I would love more is to have you be her father. Non of this step father shite either - you are her father as much as I am.”

He nodded again clearing his throat. “One, I love this present and this is more than anything I could ever ask for,” he said wiping his eyes. “Two, I am so honoured that you want me to be your father Magdalena. Three,” he said as his voice cracked, “I love you both more than… I wouldn’t ask…” he stopped and shook his head.

“You broke him,” chuckled Louis as he leaned over, cupping his husbands face he smiled up at him. “So I am assuming that you will sign the papers and make it official?”

Harry nodded his head. “Yep.”

Maggie kissed his nose and gave him another hug before she picked up the wrapping paper from the evening as Louis helped clean up the rest of the house from the festivities. As much as he wanted the birthday sign to hang a bit longer he also didn’t want to be reminded that he was 37 now and the grey hair was more prevalent around his temples than ever before. Removing the birthday sign from above the back door he stopped as he saw the snow falling from the sky and covering the grass. “Take Rose out one final time and then off to bed,” Louis told his daughter as she grabbed the leash for Rose and slipped on her boots and winter jacket to take out her dog.

Once the house was cleaned up, dishes washed, Rose having an empty bladder and put in her bed. Harry and Louis gave Maggie a kiss and promised that they would be up in a few. They heard her run up the steps and head into her bedroom to get to sleep so Christmas could come sooner. Louis slowly walked over to the fridge and pulled out his cake when he heard Maggie coming running back down the steps - slamming the door shut Maggie stood in the kitchen.

“I know that father Christmas isn’t real - but, in case that he is real we need to sent out cookies for him,” she told her father. “Where you going to eat cake?”

Scrunching his face up, “I was getting out milk for him with his cookies,” he lied to her as Maggie narrowed her eyes at her father. “We will set them out for him because he is real.” Rolling her eyes she headed back up the steps. Once he heard her bedroom door shut he grabbed the milk and his cake from the fridge. “Don’t you judge me,” he said pointing at Harry as he walked around the counter and opened up the drawer and pulled out two forks. “I like the way you think Styles.”

“Styles-Tomlinson,” he corrected him as he handed a fork to Louis and they both began to eat from opposite sides. Louis took a bite of cake and smiled, showing off the cake in his mouth as Harry cringed and hit him playfully on the shoulder. “You are such a child.”

“But you are stuck with me,” Louis reminded him.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said as he removed some icing with his finger and wiped it on Louis’s nose. Louis set his fork down, grabbing a napkin he wiped of his nose and took a step towards Harry. “Nope,” he said dropping his fork down and stepped backwards. “Louis, nope. No. No,” he laughed as Louis took another step towards him. “Put the milk away or it will spoil!” he cried as Louis ran after him, both men ran up the steps with Louis on his tails. “If you fall and hurt your back it’s not my fault,” he said laughing as he turned back and looked at him. “Also you will need to buy new milk!” he cried as Louis smiled up at him. “I’m serious about the milk!” he laughed as he ducked into his bedroom and Louis followed him shutting the door behind him.

“Then we will be without milk for a very long time,” Louis informed him as he pushed Harry onto the bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read and finished this.   
> Thank you for putting up with my weeks of no updates and sticking with me.   
> Thank you for your kind comments and tweets.   
> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 
> 
> I hope that you all enjoyed the story, it was a lot of fun to write this one, and it had taken a long time for me to come round and finish up this idea that I had started over a year ago. I will be writing more - just going to pitch some ideas to myself and maybe even throw out some ideas on twitter. I have a few that I'm trying to plan out and see what one I like the most and will go with. 
> 
> XO   
> Violet


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